ferry boat between Egypt and Turkey

[SuperBC]

We did have a wait in the end 3 days, they seem to wait until there is a enough cargo to sail the ferry so I would ignore the posted wed/sat sailing days, it also took nearly 2 days from boarding to arriving in port said. Arrived in the port after calling remon travel each day, then waited all day till 10 pm boarded but didnt sail until 7 the next morning. We were kept well fed though onboard.
We were in no rush but just to let people know to expect a fair wait if they time it wrong. Some other guys here were waiting 8 days just to get on the boat.
Also it really only seems possible to get tickets through remon travel we paid $740 for 2 people + car. Did our own customs and police bit which took an hour max and wasnt to hard. As others have said get into port at the gate marked liman B there are some paper work checks here then park up and get the white transit that flies about it goes south all the way to the other gate, leave the port here then go down the road right then left to blue building 9th floor and get your customs stamp. see gps coordinates above. Back to your car and all the way north past the dubious passenger terminal the far side of the last building is police. All were helpfull some with very good english.
Later the small guy from remon turned up and got a bit arsy saying next time he would do it or something. We didnt get to put our passports in the big cardboard box! But did see it the floor.

[tadhg123]

We were the lads waiting for 8 days superbc referred to.

Arrived early on a Tuesday and were told Wednesday's ferry was full. Given tickets for sundays ferry. (maybe saturday, maybe Monday).
Rang Friday as instructed and given definite for Tuesday. Arrived port tuesday 9am. Confirmed no ferry at 12. Wednesday confirmed definite!
Rang wednesday and confirmed Thursday.
Spotted the ferry at anchor Wednesday morning. Vessel was UK registered aqua hercules (samc on side).
Confirmed Thursday morning but no time. We went to port at 11 anyway and were admitted.

Quick check at liman b gate. Directed to security hut across from waiting room.

Security rang Ibrahim from remon but we told them we were okay and got bus to liman a (very easy to spot)

Had a small bit of difficulty getting out liman a gate but friendly customs helped us with their inquisitive superior.

Walk to customs (coords given previously). The lad we dealt with had exceptional english and translated for the man with the stamp. This was my second visit and they were welcoming on both occasions.

Back to car. Walked to police. North facing door on the northernmost building behind the waiting room. Marked polis on door. Very helpful in there too. Stamps no problem.

Later we were approached by Ibrahim. We told him we had our stamps. He wasnt pleased that we hadn't used his services. Later he demanded our passports and we eventuslly gave them to him. He came back with another policeman in his car who checked us against our passports before returning them. (he did this for the Syrians Ibrahim was looking after too)

On the positive side:A dutch lad Marc arrived on Thursday and got his ticket for the ferry.


Ferry:
Finally boarded approx 10pm
Dinner on board (all meals very good)
Ferry sailed at 7am
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Breakfast, lunch
Arrival Port Said approx 7pm Saturday (day and a half after sailing.


Eslam the fixer boarded the ferry in Port Said. We agreed e£3000 with him per jeep (3 jeeps). Drove in convoy to port gate.

Stayed in la poste (as the owner says its cheap for them its cheap for us). E£135 for a triple room.

Picked up by eslams colleague Sunday and tried to get bill of lading. No joy. Tea and WiFi in elsergany cafe just across from port gate.

Monday met by eslams brother Karim and got taxi to elsergany (e£5 for taxi). Cars out of port at approximately 4pm.

[unurban]

*also posted in another thread..*

Hey Guys!

We're now sitting in Port Said waiting for the ferry that should take us to Iskenderum. Unfortunately, we've just received an email from Sisa shipping telling us that because of the unrest in Egypt, the Ferry will be redirected to Duba in Saudi Arabia. They may or may not come back to Port Said one last time to pick up already booked customers.

They did not give us any dates, but I'll update as soon as I know more.

Espen & Malin
www.unurban.no

[NajinSvet]

Originally Posted by unurban

*also posted in another thread..*

Hey Guys!

We're now sitting in Port Said waiting for the ferry that should take us to Iskenderum. Unfortunately, we've just received an email from Sisa shipping telling us that because of the unrest in Egypt, the Ferry will be redirected to Duba in Saudi Arabia. They may or may not come back to Port Said one last time to pick up already booked customers.

They did not give us any dates, but I'll update as soon as I know more.

Espen & Malin
www.unurban.no

Hey!

Did you managed to leave Egipt? We were also planing to enter Egipt (Port Said) with a RO-RO ship from Turkey (Iskendrun). In the news we read that the Line is suspended (in the link uder the text). Any ideas if this line will work again? Any other possibility from Turkey to Egipt?

Turkey suspends navigational lines with Egypt due to “financial constraints” - Daily News Egypt

Simon and Ivana
Pot okoli sveta

[VanGS]

Hi Simon,

As far as I know my only option was Greece-Israel. Its easy to travel through the 2 countries to Egypt. Taba border was also a breeze on the Egypt side. $80 bucks and 3 hours all done!

Company for greece shipping is Salamis lines.

[NajinSvet]

Originally Posted by VanGS

Hi Simon,

As far as I know my only option was Greece-Israel. Its easy to travel through the 2 countries to Egypt. Taba border was also a breeze on the Egypt side. $80 bucks and 3 hours all done!

Company for greece shipping is Salamis lines.

Hi VanGS,

When did you made this crossing? Did you ship the bike via a ferry or in a container? I just found that the ferry lines were suspended in 2011.

Thank you for the information.

Regards, Simon

[VanGS]

Its a roro leaving from Lavrio. Offices are in Pireus. Other overlanders booked for may so I am sure its still on.

I took it a week ago.

[Tom-Traveller]

Originally Posted by VanGS

Hi Simon,

As far as I know my only option was Greece-Israel. Its easy to travel through the 2 countries to Egypt. Taba border was also a breeze on the Egypt side. $80 bucks and 3 hours all done!

Company for greece shipping is Salamis lines.

Hi

What about the Sudan Visa in Assuan ???

Any problems with passport and Carnet de Passages showing the Israel entry ?

Thanks and safe travel
TuA

miles-to-ride.com

[wheelwishers]

I would also very much know about carnet... Regarding importing vehicle to israel, did u need a second passport?


Steven

Wheel Wishers
www.wheelwishers.org

[VanGS]

Hi Guys,

No carnet for Isreal needed.
If you explain to them that you dont want a stamp they will stamp on a piece of paper, but i know a guy thats been to Isreal and got to Sudan. They asked what he did there and he just said he was in transit. Visa seems very easy to get in Aswan.

Sudan is lovely. Remember to use Kamal in Aswan and Mazar in Halfa. Top guys! I sat under a tree most of the day while they ran around. First fixers for me and no regret. Would have been a pain in the arse to drive up an down Aswan ad would have spent more that 150E£ I paid them.

[itchyfeet38]

When we went via Israel we didn't use the carnet but Customs did insist on recording the importation of the car in the drivers passport. It's quite obvious as it's in Hebrew. We were heading north so it wasn't really an issue. Israel had many good points but it was very expensive and importing a vehicle isn't much fun (unload/detach everything and very extensive searches - 8 hours in total). Not necessarily any easier and almost certainly a more expensive option than Egypt.

[Atlas]

It used to be an option but isn't any more as there is no ferry to Egypt from Turkey presently.It is Hobson's choice.

[Tom-Traveller]

Hi

I just read at the german wuestenschiff.de forum, there will be no ferry anymore .... instead, the turkish truckers are using a new RoRo route through the Suez channel directly to Saudi Arabia ....

So, right now there are 2 options left to get to Eastafrica ...

1. shipping from Greece to Israel-Jordan- ferry -Egypt - Sudan

2. Iran - ferry - UAE/Oman - Saudi Arabia and then either drive to Jordan or ferry to Port Sudan (but the SA embassy in Abu Dhabi issues only visa for residents)

Good Luck for everybody

TuA

miles-to-ride.com

[itchyfeet38]

If Israel is indeed the best/only option (I suspect Saudi will be much more challenging) I'm pretty sure you can still ship to Israel from Italy too (Grimaldi Freighter Cruises). Frustratingly the ship docks at lots of places en route (Piraeus, Limassol, Gemlik) but doesn't allow cars to be loaded/unloaded at most ports. It also goes to Alex after Ashdod but won't let cars off there either.

I suppose there is a possibility of trying to persuade them ... it may also be worth asking the question re a bike as opposed to a car.

[SimonLore]

I phoned Sisa shipping today and they told me that they are trying they're best to re-activate the ferry as fast as possible. They were talking about a week or maybe two. Let's say one month, do we believe it?

But no other good options...