CargoX is the platform foreign exporters use to send shipment documents to Egypt's NAFEZA system under Advance Cargo Information (ACI). The exporter, not the Egyptian importer, opens a free CargoX account, passes a two-step company verification (a bank wire from the company's own account and a Dun & Bradstreet check), and then sends the ACI envelope with the invoice, packing list, B/L or AWB copy and certificate of origin. Without it, the shipment cannot be cleared.
What is CargoX?
CargoX is a blockchain document-transfer platform. NAFEZA lists it as the certified blockchain service provider for ACI and describes its system as BDTS (Blockchain Documentation Transaction System). In April 2021, Misr Technology Services (MTS), which operates NAFEZA, Egypt's national single window for foreign trade, authorised CargoX as the gateway for sending ACI documents.
For Egypt, the exporter uses a special Egypt ACI envelope whose recipient is always NAFEZA, so the exporter does not need to connect with or invite the importer on CargoX. Once NAFEZA receives the envelope, the importer and its customs broker see the documents against the shipment's ACID.
Why is CargoX important for shipments to Egypt?
- No verified account, no ACI filing. Egyptian Customs only accepts ACI filings from verified exporters.
- No ACI, no clearance. Shipping documents must carry the ACID. Without it the goods are not cleared and can be returned without unloading, at the carrier's expense.
- Sea and air. CargoX is part of ACI for sea cargo since 1 October 2021 and for air cargo since 1 January 2026.
- Timing. For sea cargo, ACI data is due at least 48 hours before shipment from the export country. A supplier who has never registered can lose a week to the bank wire alone.
Who must register on CargoX, and who does not?
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| Party | Registers on CargoX? | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign exporter (supplier) | Yes, one company profile per company | Verifies the company, receives the ACID from the importer and sends the ACI envelope to NAFEZA |
| Egyptian importer | No; it uses NAFEZA | Requests the ACID on NAFEZA and shares it with the exporter |
| Customs broker (e.g. Al-Rouby) | No; it works on NAFEZA with the importer's authorisation | Prepares the ACI request and checks the documents against it |
| Carrier / shipping line | No | Shows the ACID on the B/L or AWB and the manifest |
| Private individual (personal shipment) | Cannot be verified on CargoX | Ships through a freight forwarder |
The importer cannot open a CargoX account on the exporter's behalf.
What does the exporter need before registering?
- The company's legal name, address, registration number and tax/VAT number, exactly as in official records, because Dun & Bradstreet checks them.
- A bank account in the company's own name. Payments from a group company or a trading partner fail the bank verification.
- An email address for the person who will manage the company profile. One person sets it up; colleagues can be added later.
- EU companies: a valid VAT number, verified before buying units (no VAT is charged under the reverse charge).
- From the Egyptian importer: the ACID for each shipment and the importer's tax ID as registered on NAFEZA.
How to register and verify on CargoX: step by step
- Egyptian importer Requests the ACID on NAFEZA
- NAFEZA Issues the 19-digit ACID
- Foreign exporter Prints the ACID on the invoice; the carrier shows it on the B/L or AWB
- CargoX The exporter sends the Egypt ACI envelope
- NAFEZA Receives the documents against the ACID
- Customs in Egypt The broker checks the file; clearance on arrival
- Create a free account on the CargoX Platform (cargox.digital).
- Fill in the company details: name, address, registration number and tax/VAT number. They must match official records.
- Buy units (𝕌) by bank wire from the company's own account. This first payment is the bank verification; card payment is only possible afterwards.
- Pass the third-party check. Go to Settings (⚙) → Company verification → Verify now. Dun & Bradstreet checks the company details; the result usually appears within seconds and costs 15 units.
- Add colleagues as users under the company account if needed.
- Receive the ACID from the Egyptian importer, who requests it on NAFEZA.
- Compose and send the Egypt ACI envelope, with each document as a separate file. Once sent, an envelope cannot be recalled or cancelled.
Which documents go in the CargoX ACI envelope?
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| Document | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bill of lading copy (sea) or air waybill copy (air) | PDF or XLS/XLSX | A copy, not the original |
| Commercial invoice | PDF and a structured file (NAFEZA XML or XLS/XLSX) | Shows the importer's and exporter's tax/VAT IDs matching NAFEZA, and carries the ACID |
| Packing list | — | |
| Certificate of origin | — | |
| Other documents the cargo needs (e.g. EUR.1, certificate of analysis, MSDS, IMEI list) | Varies (IMEI list: XLSX only) | Only when required for the shipment |
Rules: one document per file, the correct document type on each file, and at most 5 MB per document and 100 MB per envelope.
How much does CargoX cost?
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| Item | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Free | NAFEZA |
| Company verification (one time) | 15 units = USD 15 | CargoX |
| ACI filing (sea or air) | 160 units per filing + 3 units per document, capped at 15, so 175 units in most cases | AHK Egypt (from 1 April 2024) and CargoX |
| Card top-ups (after verification) | +4% surcharge, minimum 25 units | CargoX |
| SWIFT transfer | USD 6 service fee; intermediary banks may deduct more | CargoX |
Units are non-refundable and expire only after more than three years of account inactivity. Prices are set by NAFEZA and the Egyptian government; check the current price on CargoX before paying.
What are the most common CargoX problems?
- The wire came from the wrong account. A payment from a group company, agent or trading partner fails the bank verification.
- Company details don't match official records. The Dun & Bradstreet check fails.
- Details edited after verification. Changing the name, address, registration or tax number voids the verification, and the third-party check must be repeated.
- Fewer units than paid for. Intermediary banks deducted fees on the wire.
- Wrong or missing document after sending. The envelope cannot be cancelled; the document is re-filed to the existing ACI filing.
- The exporter has no access to international bank payments (for example because of war or sanctions). The Egyptian importer can request manual approval from the Egyptian Customs Authority; once approved, CargoX gives the exporter a verified status.
Send this to your supplier
To our supplier — shipping to Egypt (ACI / CargoX)
- Open a free company account on the CargoX Platform: cargox.digital.
- Enter your company name, address, registration number and tax/VAT number exactly as in your official records.
- Pay your first units by bank wire from your company's own bank account (international wires can take 5–7 business days).
- Complete the Dun & Bradstreet company verification (15 units).
- We will send you the ACID for each shipment. Print it on the commercial invoice and give it to the carrier for the B/L or AWB.
- Send the Egypt ACI envelope with the invoice (PDF + structured file), packing list, B/L or AWB copy and certificate of origin, each as a separate file.
How Al-Rouby helps
We walk your supplier through CargoX registration and both verification steps, so the account is ready before the first booking. For each shipment, we prepare the ACI request on NAFEZA and check the documents in the supplier's ACI envelope against it (parties, tax IDs, ACID, goods and values) before they are sent, so a wrong document is caught before it reaches Customs.
Read next: ACI system guide · ACID number guide · GOEIC registration for suppliers
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about CargoX before shipping to Egypt.
Opening the account is free. Company verification costs 15 units (USD 15) one time, and each ACI filing usually costs 175 units.
The Dun & Bradstreet check gives a result within seconds, but it can only start after the first bank wire arrives, which can take up to 3 business days in the SEPA zone and 5–7 business days for international USD transfers.
No. The foreign exporter opens and verifies its own account; the importer works on NAFEZA.
No. The Egypt ACI envelope always goes to NAFEZA, where the importer and its broker see the documents.
Yes. ACI, and so CargoX filing, has been mandatory for air cargo since 1 January 2026.
Only after verification. The first payment must be a bank wire from the company's own account.
A sent envelope cannot be recalled or cancelled, but missing or invalid documents can be re-filed to the existing ACI filing.
Individuals cannot be verified on CargoX; personal shipments go through a freight forwarder.
Need help with your supplier's CargoX account?
Tell us about your supplier and shipment, and we will guide the registration and check the ACI envelope.
Contact the Team