Advance Cargo Information System

What is Advance Cargo Information System?

Advance Cargo Information (ACI) is a new customs procedure that requires cargo data or documents (Pro-forma invoice and draft bill of lading-if exist) at least 48 hours before cargo shipment from export country, to enable stakeholders to monitor any risk to the state through the Risk Management System (RMS), with the highest priority given to the security of Egyptian citizens

What are the Advantages of ACI?

• Protecting the Egyptian citizens from unidentified goods or goods from unidentified origins
• Reducing release time and hence the cost of releasing goods
• Using electronic data and documents, thereby dispensing with paper documents

Who does ACI impact?

• Importers
• Exporters and suppliers (foreign)
• Clearance companies
• Sea/air shipping companies

When will ACI be applied?

ACI Application Phases

• Phase 1 - Pilot as of 1st April 2021
• Phase 2 - Mandatory Operation Phase as of 1st October, 2021

How to prepare for ACI

• The Egyptian importer register on the online portal www.nafeza.gov.eg
• Obtain the electronic signature pad from competent authorities to access Nafeza
• List advance cargo data and acquire ACID prior to the start of import operations
• Submit cargo data and documents (commercial invoice and final or initial bill of lading) prior to shipment
• Notify overseas exporters dealing with electronic invoice to send all shipment documents to (Nafeza) platform through supply chain networks using Block-chain technology - upon vessel’s departure from the port of export -

What is Block-chain Technology?

• Block-chain is a technology that allows a person (or company) to transfer valuable data or documents to another person safely and without the intervention of any intermediary
• Block-chain is simply a series of fixed records or blocks of data, and is managed by a group of computers that are not owned by any entity. Data blocks are secured and linked to each other using cryptographic principles

How the Block-chain Technology works

Block-chain is a simple and innovative method to pass information from person A to person B in a fully automated and secure manner. One Party initiates the transaction by creating a block. That block is verified by thousands, perhaps millions, of computers distributed throughout the network. The verified block is then added to a chain stored in the network, creating a unique record associated with other records. To forge a single record, the entire chain has to be forged on millions of computers, which is practically impossible.

Who are the certified Block-chain Service Providers?

CargoX

CargoX has developed BDTS (Block-chain Documentation Transaction System), which offers a platform with many applications, the most popular of which is Smart B / L ™. CargoX created an open system that uses Block-chain technology and decentralized encrypted data storage to enable the creation and exchange of information and documents

To provide clarity and help you understand the Egypt ACI process and what participating parties need to do - please start by reading the Egypt ACI FAQ available here:
https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/categories/7534519633425-FAQ (managed and updated by CargoX).

We recommend that you read all questions and answers, as the FAQ answers many questions, including the price of ACI, price of verification, who needs to do what, how to do it, etc...

Egyptian ACI filing - What? Why? How? 

https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/articles/7745491932305-What-is-ACI-

STEPS:

1. If you are an exporter register your free CargoX account at https://cargox.digital
   For your convenience here is the step-by-step tutorial on how to complete the account registration. Only one person from your company needs to do it:
   https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/articles/6674212884753-How-to-set-up-your-company-profile-on-CargoX-Platform-
2. Once you register your CargoX account, please complete the verification process, which is mandatory before you can submit Egyptian ACI.

   These guides will explain the mandatory verification process and allow you to complete all prerequisites needed to use your CargoX account for Egypt ACI filing. Yes, purchase of service units is needed via bank wire. So is starting and completing the 3rd party company verification check:

   https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/articles/8582749070481-Quick-start-guide-what-you-need-to-do-as-an-exporter-
   https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/articles/7420549960849-Company-verification
3. Create user accounts for your co-workers under your company CargoX account  (Optional).
   https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/articles/7278277907473-Adding-new-users
4. Finally, follow the guides below (+videos available) to understand the ACI filing process, and allow you to compose and send Egypt ACI envelope + give you information about the required documents and formats:
   https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/articles/7534464566161-Required-documents-and-formats
   https://cargox.help/hc/en-us/articles/7534229743121-How-to-compose-and-send-an-ACI-envelope