Wood packaging import rules: Egypt

ISPM 15 on imports

Required

Enforced since

2005

Treatments

HT, MB, DH, SF (ISPM 15 list)

Plant protection authority

Central Administration for Plant Quarantine (APQ), Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation

Common pallet sizes

1200 × 1000 mm
1200 × 800 mm (EUR)
1100 × 1100 mm (mixed)

Main ports

Alexandria, Port Said (East/West), Damietta, Sokhna

Overview

Egypt appears in Australia's ISPM 15 implementation table with a start date of 1 October 2005, and New Zealand's list of ISPM 15 destinations also names it. Wood packaging entering with imported goods is expected to be debarked, treated and marked with the IPPC logo. Enforcement belongs to the Central Administration for Plant Quarantine within the agriculture ministry, whose inspectors work at the sea, air and land entry points. Container volume concentrates at Alexandria and the Suez Canal-linked terminals: Port Said, Damietta and Sokhna on the Red Sea side, with Sokhna growing fast as a Cairo gateway. Imports arrive in large quantities from Asia, Europe, Turkey and Russia, so a mixed pallet landscape results. The 1200 × 1000 mm size is common for Asian-origin cargo, 1200 × 800 mm for European goods, and local manufacturers often use non-standard sizes for domestic distribution. Much domestic movement is also floor-loaded or on simple, low-grade wooden pallets that are not ISPM 15 treated, since the rules apply to international shipments. I did not find a verified national pooling system comparable to EPAL or CHEP, and no published fine schedule. Exporters should insist on a visible IPPC mark, as unmarked pallets risk delay at Alexandria or Sokhna.

Key points

• Australian list gives 1 October 2005 as the ISPM 15 implementation date
• Plant quarantine officers inspect at ports; non-compliant WPM can be treated or re-exported
• Unmarked wood often handled via fumigation at the port at importer's cost (typical practice; not verified in law)

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Australian Dept of Agriculture – ISPM 15 implementation dates by country
2. NZ MPI – Country ISPM 15 requirements
3. IPPC country page – Egypt

Import rules change. Confirm current requirements with the national plant protection organization or your importer before shipping. This page is general information, not legal advice.