Africa
Container Shipping from the UK to Egypt
Alexandria, Port Said and Damietta cover the Mediterranean coast, with Suez Canal transshipment giving unusually good sailing frequency.
Container shipping from the UK to Egypt runs full container load to Alexandria (EGALY), Port Said (EGPSD) and Damietta (EGDAM). There is no scheduled less than container load service to Egypt at present. Sea transit is 12–17 days port to port and air freight 1–3 days. We collect from any UK address and handle UK export clearance; customs charges in Egypt are not included.
Where we ship
Ports in Egypt
Full container load and groupage both go to Alexandria, Port Said and Damietta. Select a port for its location, code and indicative transit.
- UK door
- UK port
- Alexandria, Port Said or Damietta
Packed and sealed at your premises, then straight to the port — usually Southampton.
Less than container load
There is no scheduled groupage service to Egypt at present. Smaller consignments are quoted case by case — tell us the volume and we will say which option is genuinely cheaper.
Get a price for Egypt
The three modes are quoted separately — they are priced on different things entirely: a container, a cubic metre and a kilo.
Indicative pricing
Starting points for sea freight from the UK, not port-specific figures — the rate for your shipment depends on the arrival port, the sailing and the commodity. Customs charges, duty and taxes in Egypt are payable there and are not included.
| Service | From | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| FCL — 20ft General Purpose | £1,280.00 | per 20ft container |
| FCL — 40ft General Purpose | £2,000.00 | per 40ft container |
| LCL groupage | £69.00 | per cubic metre |
| Air freight | Please check with our team | per 100kg chargeable weight |
These are starting prices for the freight, not shipment totals. A groupage rate is what one cubic metre of cargo costs, so a 10 cubic metre consignment costs roughly ten times the figure shown. Figures are indicative, in GBP, and cover the sea freight from the UK only — customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included. Your firm quote depends on the exact route, the cargo and the sailing.
What can you ship to Egypt?
Industrial machinery and spares, construction plant and materials, chemicals in packaged form, medical devices and automotive components move through Alexandria, Port Said and Damietta.
Cargo needs to be palletised, shrink-wrapped and labelled with the consignee, because groupage is handled several times between your loading bay and the delivery address. Anything containing lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, solvents or compressed gas needs declaring at booking — it usually still travels, it just changes the packing and the paperwork rather than simply the price.
What tax and duty applies on import into Egypt?
Egypt charges VAT at a standard rate of 14%, charged on the customs value plus duty. Customs duty is separate and runs at 0–40%, with high protective rates on finished consumer goods, set by the commodity code of the specific goods.
Egypt operates the Nafeza advance cargo information system, and it governs everything on this lane. An ACID number must be issued and matched to the shipment before the vessel sails; cargo arriving without a valid ACID is refused entry outright, not held pending paperwork. Exporters of certain product categories must also be registered with GOEIC before their goods can be imported at all.
What are the import restrictions in Egypt?
Four things are worth checking before you book rather than after the vessel sails.
What documents do I need to import into Egypt?
These cover the far end of the journey and belong to your consignee. We prepare and file the transport and commercial paperwork, but their own registrations are issued to them by their own authorities and cannot be obtained on their behalf.
What documents do you need in the UK to export?
A second, separate set of paperwork — and this one is yours rather than your consignee's. It is the part first-time exporters are most often caught by, because the destination requirements get all the attention and the British side looks like a formality until it stops a booking.
Duty depends on the commodity code of the specific goods, and rates change. This is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Customs charges, duty and taxes in the destination country are payable there and are not included in our freight quote. Rates last reviewed .
UK to Egypt shipping: FAQs
How long does shipping from the UK to Egypt take?
Sea freight runs about 12–17 days port to port, and air freight 1–3 days airport to airport. Alexandria is the quickest sea gateway on this lane at around 12 days. These are indicative figures measured port to port; the transit for your exact collection address and delivery address, including the inland legs at both ends, is confirmed at quote stage.
Which ports do you ship to in Egypt?
We move cargo through 3 ports in Egypt: Alexandria (EGALY), Port Said (EGPSD), Damietta (EGDAM). Full container load goes to Alexandria, Port Said and Damietta. We have no scheduled groupage service to Egypt at present, so part loads are quoted case by case. Each port page lists its location, code and indicative transit.
Do you handle customs clearance for Egypt?
We handle the UK side: we file your export declaration with HMRC against your GB EORI number and raise the transport and commercial documents that travel with the shipment. Customs charges in Egypt — duty, import tax and any local clearance fees — are payable there by the consignee and are not included in our rates, unless you have agreed a DDP Incoterm that puts them on you. Budget for them separately; they are the most common reason a landed cost comes in above the freight quote.
What should I know before shipping on the Egypt lane?
Cairo is inland and reached by road from the coast, so port choice affects the domestic leg more than the sea transit. Alexandria is usually the shorter road move for cargo destined to the capital. Cargo commonly moving on this lane includes industrial machinery and equipment, chemicals and raw materials, vehicles, parts and components.
Compare lanes
Other countries we ship to and from
Rates and transit times for countries near Egypt — each one works as an origin or a destination.
South Africa
Import & export · Durban
LCL from
£88.00
per cubic metre
20+ days
View lane
Nigeria
Import & export · Lagos (Apapa)
LCL from
£92.00
per cubic metre
18+ days
View lane
Kenya
Import & export · Mombasa
LCL from
£93.00
per cubic metre
24+ days
View lanePlan the rest of the move
Shipping to Egypt? Get a quote.
Any country to any country, import or export — send us the origin, destination and cargo details and we'll come back with a competitive rate within one business day.