Hurghada - Clearance
For full details on clearing into and out of the country, including new entry fees, see Noonsite’s Egypt Formalities.
Cruisers warn that fees here are very high.
On arrival, call port authorities on VHF Channel 16. The use of an agent is not mandatory, but will help speed the process according to cruisers who have checked in here when heading north to transit the Suez Canal.
Yachts coming from the south can check into Egypt at Port Ghalib Marina or Hurghada Port. (It is no longer possible – since 2015 – to check in at Hurghada Marina as the first Port of Entry: a visit to either Port Ghalib or Hurghada Port must be done for visa and canal fees.)
It is possible to day sail with overnight stops at a number of places along the coast, as long as you do not go ashore until you have “officially” checked into Egypt. See this 2023 report from SV Tuvalu.
Yachts coming from the north and wanting to visit Hurghada can do the check in at Port Said and take their visas from there and ask for a port clearance to Hurghada Marina. Be sure to specify Hurghada Marina so that you can go directly to the marina and avoid having to go to Hurghada Port first. The agent in Hurghada will finish the customs clearance on arrival at the marina.
It is advisable to contact the marina or the shipping agent before arrival. in order to confirm the fees and procedures, in case there are any changes.
Clearance at Hurghada Port
The Port Officials do not start until 0900 hours and finish at 1700 hours, so time your arrival accordingly. It is better to turn up at Hurghada Port early in the morning and try and avoid Fridays, as most officials will be off or away praying.
Formalities are lengthy if not using an agent (it is possible officials may refuse to deal with you directly if you choose not to hire an agent). Each arrival must be registered with Immigration. All foreign flagged boats are liable for a Customs Fee, which will be done with the Agent in Hurghada, along with the other paperwork.
When you arrive in Hurghada Port, you can either come alongside the dock (if there’s space between the fast ferry and fishing boats, and if you are happy with going alongside) or drop anchor just outside. If you anchor the officials and agent will come to your boat in order to complete the formalities.
The agent will take the ship’s documents, passports, and last Port Clearance. It can take up to four hours to complete formalities. The agent will keep the documents in order to finish all the necessary clearances, before returning them to you at the marina. You will be given a copy of the cruising permit, the original is held by the agent until you leave.
Permission is required to move the boat anywhere within the port, even to get fuel or go to the marina. Get this permission in writing as often as possible.
Note: Yachts can not clear in at Abu Tig, Hurghada Marina or El Gouna, they have to go to Hurghada Port first to complete check-in and then they are allowed to sail onwards.
Clearing Out of Egypt
This can be done using your agent. Note you must exit Egypt waters immediately. The marina will provide an internal cruising permit for clearing out in Suez and transiting the canal. However, this permit does not give you permission to go on land outside of official ports – at least if there is a police station nearby.
See Agents for details of Clearance agents.
Last updated: September 2023.
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Related to following destinations: Egypt, Hurghada, Red Sea (Egypt)
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Mar 27, 2019 07:14 AM
We spent 3 months at the Hurghada Marina from October 2017 to January 2018. The price was $ 320 per month.
On the positive side, it was a beautiful marina with water and electricity and a nice front walk with plenty of cafes and expensive restaurants. Some ATMs are inside the marina. To go out and enter into the marina we go through a security gate where some guards will often check your bags. Outside just on your right hand side near the fish market are 3 very cheap restaurants where you can choose your fish and eat it on the spot with rice for 2 to 3 euros. The city is bubbling and very touristy. With a motorcycle we were able to discover it more easily. There is some ship chandlers and was very interesting to buy for a low cost in second hand all diving equipment around 300 euros.
On the negative side, we have been racketeered by the agent with the complicity, no doubt, of the marina and the port authorities who share the money. Seven other boats with us had the same problems with the same agent. While it was agreed with Alpha Yacht Service the package of $ 215 for formalities in / out and two months of cruising permit, after a month, on the spot, the agent started to be urgent and asked for more money : more than $ 350 for each boat and $ 800 to a new catamaran. Unfortunately the other boats preferred to pay, and as we refused, the agent tried to block the boat when we tried to leave the marina by sending the police on board. The marina has earned two more days thanks to the agent. Fortunately our papers were in order. Indeed, easier with a motorcycle, and used to it by my job, we managed to get around the problem by going directly to the authorities on land every day to ask permission by using “google translation” without going through the agents of the port. In the end, we managed to get from our agent half of the $ 250 to pay a second agent. And then with a small backsheesh of $ 20 to the 3 coast guards (who asked for $ 200) after 2 hours of negotiation and we succeed to get out of hell trap. Never again Hurghada !!!
Do not stop at Hurghada unless you have a good reason and avoid Mohammed Soleiman of Alpha Yacht Service hoping this comment will change finally the situation.
However, I advise you
1 / to keep on arrival the paper delivered and stamped by the port authorities (leave only the copy of the document to your agent and keep the original even if he refuses) this document will be necessary to exit and with this paper you will be able to check out without your agent in case of problem.
2 / better to clear in/out at Port Ghalib than Hurghada for only 80 dollars. Over there to clear was very easy and the marina is even more beautiful.
Les Siamois
Hurghada Port
A yacht that cleared in here at the end of March 2018 reported the following fees for yacht clearance:
– Port Authority Fee: $700
– Marine Inspection Fee: $50
– Customs Fees: $30
– Inspection Fees for crackers for the yacht: $30
– Passport Fees for the yacht: $30
Total: $840
A more reasonable alternative to clearing in at Hurghada Port, is Port Ghalib Marina.