Egypt – New Customs Requirements for All Sea Export Cargo from Egypt: Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) under NAFEZA

Please be informed that, effective 17 July 2026, the Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) requirement will apply to all export shipments originating from Egypt, in accordance with the updated export procedures implemented through the NAFEZA platform.

The UCR is a unique identification reference (19 digit number) assigned to each export consignment and is required to enable electronic processing, customs compliance, and end-to-end tracking throughout the export customs process.

Customer Action Required

To ensure smooth booking acceptance and cargo processing, customers and shippers are required to comply with the following:

• Obtain a valid UCR number through the NAFEZA platform for each applicable export shipment.
• Provide the valid UCR number to Maersk at the time of booking submission. Bookings submitted without a valid UCR reference will not be accepted.
• Ensure that accurate shipper details are provided at the time of booking. The shipper information submitted must match the registered export shipment details.

Booking Submission via Maersk.com Self-Service Portal

Customers using the Maersk.com Self-Service Portal must ensure:

• The UCR reference is entered in the designated reference field when submitting the booking.
• The booking will only be accepted if the UCR reference is valid.
• The correct and complete shipper name is provided during the booking process.
• Bookings with invalid UCR details will not be accepted.

Booking Submission via INTTRA / EDI Platforms

Customers using INTTRA or EDI platforms must ensure:

• A valid UCR number is provided in the remarks field.
• Correct shipper information is entered in the shipper details section.
• Bookings with invalid UCR details will be cancelled, and customers will be required to submit a new booking with a valid UCR reference.

Amendments to Booking Details (UCR and Shipper Information)

Please note that once a booking has been submitted, Maersk will not accept amendments to change the UCR number or replace the shipper with a different party.

If a customer needs to update the UCR number or change the shipper details, the existing booking must be cancelled, and a new booking must be submitted with the correct information. Acceptance of the new booking will remain subject to available capacity at the time of resubmission.

Additional Booking Requirements

• Split booking request will no longer be accepted. Customers are requested to take note of this change and plan their booking submissions accordingly. Booking which will be splited after container assigned to booking for a reason, will handle exceptionally by customer service team case by case basis.
• As part of the new customs compliance process, Maersk will be required to provide Customs with an Empty Container List (ECL) covering containers picked up against customer bookings.Customers must therefore ensure that the containers gated in are the correctly assigned containers for the respective bookings and are used for the intended shipment.

Shipping order/customs documents submission process – Current process will remain as is it with no change and would request all customers to remain comply with to avoid any rolling due to missing these docs.

Note: As per Customs feedback, this new requirement will apply to new bookings effective 18 July 2026. However, to ensure a smooth transition and minimize any potential disruption for customers, Maersk will implement this requirement one day earlier, effective 17 July 2026.

Accordingly, the new UCR requirements will apply to all Maersk bookings submitted from 17 July 2026 onwards.

We strongly recommend that all customers coordinate with their exporters and customs brokers in Egypt to ensure full compliance with the new requirements before cargo acceptance.

For further information regarding UCR issuance and the updated export procedures, customers may refer to the NAFEZA platform.

Should you have any questions, please contact your local Maersk representative. Information for your local offices can be found on the Maersk website.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued support.