ferry boat between Egypt and Turkey

[Ruulio]

The Vessel is going twice a week, you can track it on Live Ships Map - AIS - Vessel Traffic and Positions - AIS Marine Traffic, normally it leaves in the night from wednesday to thursday, best deal is to post the Agency called Turman-Shipping a mail in advance, the guy responsible is Mehmet Mavi, his mail is mehmet@turman.com.tr or phone him +90 (326) 613 43 74 - 75. The Agency in Iskenderun is at following address: Marasel Fevzi Cakmak cad. Savas Mah, K4 No3.
We payed 400 US Dollars each for a Motorbike, Egyptian Visa, and off course a cabin and food.
If you get in contact with Mehmet in the afternoon you have plenty of time to do the customs and Visa application without hassle. Bring some snacks to the port and save some turkish lira to buy drinks at the shop. The loading of the vessle takes endless hours. they start loading the vessle around 16:00, normally only turkish truck drivers use this route. Mehmet will keep your documents untill you can load your bikes into the vessle, probably in the middle of the night. But you can bring your stuff into the cabin, relax or even sleep, one guy will come and wake you up once you can load the bikes. When the bikes are loaded, Mehmet took our cash in exchange of our passports. (maybe if you arrive soon enough that process will be already done in the office in iskenderun).
You can go back to your cabin and sleep, before the vessle leaves the port, the capitain controlls all the passports (around 6:00 am), when our vessle left the port we were sleeping. On the ship which we all really liked because of its 80ties charme, they serve you good food three times a day (at least if you are not a Vegan). You get free Chai and drinking water at any time. The sailing takes between 30 to 34 hours. So plenty of time to relax, there is even a good shower downstairs.

Get in contact with Eslam the egyptian Fixer for Port Said when you are still in Turkey, his Number is +20 128 922 0002. He will tell you to call him once you disembark at the Port in Port Said. He will be comming to the vessel within 30 (egyptian) minutes. Once he arrive follow all his instructions, and you will have a smooth time, he organizes everything from hotel, to save parking and all the stuff with customs, number plates, insurance, carnet etc. Even if you have a wrong chassi number in your carnet (as I had). Better double check it at home with your bike it saves you bakshish. within one to two days you can ride your bike in egypt.
We payed 2700 EGP and 150 EGP for the parking in a Warehouse inside the port.

Eslam will tell you about a new law in Egypt that you need to go to Cairo to get a paper from Traffic Control also called Edrassa Car Police Station. It is some kind of paper which confirms that your egyptian number plates is valid.

We stayed in Giza (pyramids) and found a taxidriver who knows the process. His name is Michael, he speaks english and knows what to do. His number is 002 01224841346. We payed him 200 EGP each to drive there and back to giza including bakshish to fasten up the process at the Edrassa Car Police Station. You dont need to bring your bike, he only needs your no plate, passport and the papers you got in Ports said. He can do the process alone while you visit the pyramids. Or you can go with him if you still want to enjoy a taxi ride through filthy Cairo and see some more offices and officials.

Despite the horror stories in other Blogs, it was smooth sailing for us and we had a lot of leisure time. Just relax and enjoy.

[roro]

Thanks Ruulio for this report:
You said between 30 and 34 hours, it seems the same time as for a "normal" car-ferry.
Are the cabins clean, especially the toilets and shower?
Have you seen travellers doing the same travel with their own car (European plates)?
RR.

[Ruulio]

hi roro
yes the cabins are clean and even have a aircon that works ok but still hot for europeans. toilets are not cleaner than any toilet at a turkish petrolstation. one shower was ok. we saw a guy from namibia with his VW bus that did the same trip but reverse directions.

[roro]

Thanks again Ruulio. So, not so clean but if the travel's time is only one day and a half....
RR.

[PeterdeH]

I'am now in Iskenderun and will take the CENK Y to Port Siad end of this week. It is still sailing every week ! Note : Turman has moved to a new address :
Use email address Agency@turman.com.tr or phone them +90 (326) 613 43 74 - 75. The Agency in Iskenderun is at following address: Tayfur Sukmen Blv. Coming from the highway and turn right on the sign City Centre it is the first building on the right. They are on the 5th floor. Prices mentioned to me are $200 for Turkish customs and $100 per person. Because my car is different in size (6m long and 3m high) he had to ask for a price. I will post an update when I am in Egypt.

[PeterdeH]

It is now definitive ! Also this company stops sailing to Port Said. We almost had the bookings for Saterday done with Turman shipping when the message come from stdrorolines in Istanbul that the line was canceled and the boat was on its way to Istanbul ! Tomorrow there is another RoRo boat from a different company sailing from Iskenderun to Port Said but on this one no passengers are allowed. Not sure if this will be the last boat for Egypt, but it could be very well !
So it seems we are back to where we were a couple of months ago....
Gr,
Peter

[PeterdeH]

At the moment there is one option left. The ferry with Hatay RoRo unfortunately no passengers can go with. You have to fly to Cairo and take a cab to Port Said and with the help of Eslam (phone : 00201289220002, eslam_elshamaa@windowslive.com) you can get your car out of the harbour again. Cab price should be around 350 EGP according to Eslam, not sure if that is true, I payed double that. It took three days to get all the procedures done so be prepared. Total cost to me were 4600 EGP for Eslam for my 4.5T Bremach with 2 months visum and insurance for the car. Normally every car bigger than a normal car is only allowed for 14 days... Make sure they will administer it as a 'karavan' ! And I payed the shipping agent on Egyptian side a 750 EGP. Shipping cost of Hatay RoRo were $750. This depends on dimension (2.11x6.25m in my case).
According to Eslam this ferry will be able to continue till April next year because then the agreement with the Egyptian goverment will end. And he is convinced it will ends and will not be extended. While Hatay RoRo is looking to buy a RoRo with passengers capacity special for this line, so time will tell...
I had some bad experience with Turman on this voyage, they said the custom service was $250 while it is always $100 independant of whatever verhicle. But I must admit when things came out and because of a misunderstanding with Hatay RoRo the transport price went up considerably, they agreed to take the difference of $100. So in the end I payed less than I should've.
For everyone who is thinking to do the import procedure on their own : DON'T.
Just don't even think about it. It is even for most of the shipping agents a nightmare, for us it is just plain impossible.
And a second warning : Make sure nothing can be taken from your car, because they will ! In my case I only left a cannister with motoroil and a telescopic windscreen whiper in de cabine and they were gone....

regards,
Peter

[felicemichele]

Hello,
I'll travel from Egypt to Turkey in August 2015 with my motorbike.

Is there an option still valid to get to Turkey or Greece?

Can the Egyptian contact in the blog help? Or I should still use the Turkish agency to organise the travel from port said to Turkey?

Thanks

[garnaro]

Like Ruulio we're trying to travel with Haytay RORO, but from Egypt to Turkey. Terrible communication so far - contacted them a month ahead of time and every week since. Cigdem first gave us the impression that we have a place on the boat and then changed the story two days before the boat leaves. Trying to find other options, but looks like there is nothing at all..

[lAbArYnth]

Originally Posted by garnaro

Like Ruulio we're trying to travel with Haytay RORO, but from Egypt to Turkey. Terrible communication so far - contacted them a month ahead of time and every week since. Cigdem first gave us the impression that we have a place on the boat and then changed the story two days before the boat leaves. Trying to find other options, but looks like there is nothing at all..

We heard from the Italians Marco and Antoinette(traveling South in Combi) that there is a vessel that leaves an Isreali port to Greece, and also takes passengers. This could be an option,?

[garnaro]

Originally Posted by lAbArYnth

We heard from the Italians Marco and Antoinette(traveling South in Combi) that there is a vessel that leaves an Isreali port to Greece, and also takes passengers. This could be an option,?

Yep, its Salami's Cruises in Greece (Rosenfield in Israel). I think this is the way we will go now. Boat leaves every Tuesday from Haifa, arrives in Greece at Lavario near Athens every Friday. Contact in Israel is Alicia
(alicia@rosenfeld.net). Cost is $400 Euro for the bike, $300 for each passenger.

[Sam Rutherford]

Any update on the Turkey-Egypt ferry?

[romnek72]

Originally Posted by garnaro

Yep, its Salami's Cruises in Greece (Rosenfield in Israel). I think this is the way we will go now. Boat leaves every Tuesday from Haifa, arrives in Greece at Lavario near Athens every Friday. Contact in Israel is Alicia
(alicia@rosenfeld.net). Cost is $400 Euro for the bike, $300 for each passenger.

I would strongly recommend, when you going back to Europe, go to Israel
NOT Egypt(port Said).
Back in May 2013 I took ferry(Sisa Shipping) from Hifa(Israel)to Turkey for total $370usd me inc bike (I did some haggle with Tiran Agent)
In Haifa(Israel)My visa,motorbike registration were expired for 3weeks,immigration at port let me go with out any problems everybody were so nice to me.
You could make your own (fake) insurance(green card) it work for me in Africa,Israel,Turkey and Eastern Europe.

Tiran Shipping Agencies 1997 Limited Marine Supplier in Haifa, Israel - Marine Supplies Marketplace

[Sam Rutherford]

Have sent Alicia an email - will let you know how we get on (looking to cross in December).


Cheers, Sam.

[apinajus]

Hi buddies,
I'm investigating if egypt is reachable from europe by sea. What I've found so far is that the ferries from Venice are no longer in service.
Can you confirm that?

Also, is there another route that could be taken, maybe from Turkey to Israel (sea) and then Egypt overland? Do you have any info on that?

Cheers

alex