Cairo – Mubasher: Egypt’s Minister of Finance, Mohamed Maait, said that the first phase of the advance cargo information (ACI) system will cover maritime ports, noting that that the pilot operation will be launched in April and the mandatory implementation in July.

This move is part of the government’s efforts to upgrade and automate the customs system in a bid to streamline procedures, cut clearance time, and reduce costs of goods, Maait added in a statement on Thursday.

The ACI system will help identify high-risk cargo prior to their arrival so that goods will be stored in the customs warehouses for a limited period of time.