Global

MSC updates UN numbers for vehicle shipments

Shipping line MSC has updated its UN numbers for vehicle shipments following the amendment of the IMDG code on 1 January 2026. The update introduces three new UN numbers to better distinguish between propulsion systems.

Important: Vehicles powered solely by lithium metal, lithium-ion, or sodium-ion batteries may no longer be classified under UN3171.

 
This classification is now exclusively reserved for vehicles powered by wet, metallic sodium, or sodium-alloy batteries installed during transport.

Asia

AGS opens in Macau

We’re pleased to share that AGS has opened a new business office in the Macau Special Administrative Region, which offers the full range of destination services:

• Moving surveys
• Packing & furniture disassembly
• All risk insurance
• Road, sea and air transport
• Customs clearance
• Short- and long-term storage
• Unpacking & furniture assembly

Please send all enquiries to: macau@ags-globalsolutions.com.

Europe

No billing changes after Bulgaria joins eurozone

Kindly note that Bulgaria’s admission into the eurozone on 1 January 2026 has not affected any of the procedures for payments made to or invoices issued by AGS Bulgaria. No adjustments are required on your part.

Africa

Egypt: ACID procedures now mandatory for air freight

Effective 1 January 2026, the Advanced Cargo Information Declaration (ACID) procedure – mandatory for sea freight to Egypt since October 2021 – is now also required for all air freight.

To avoid shipment rejection, it is vital to obtain an ACID number before dispatch. Failure to do so will result in the shipment being blocked on arrival, denied entry, and returned to origin, leading to delays, fines and additional freight costs for your account.

How to obtain an ACID number

Please email your ACID request to AGS Egypt Branch Manager renaud.bidault@ags-globalsolutions together with the following information:

• Client name: full name as per passport (no abbreviations).
• Passport copy: high-quality scan of the photo page.
• Client nationality & origin country.
• Loading details: specific seaport or airport of loading.
• Shipment details: final item count and gross weight (must match final BL/AWB).
• Destination port:
  • For sea shipments: Alexandria Old Port (Port Code: EGALY).
  • For air shipments: Cairo International Airport.

AGS Egypt will then generate the ACID number on your behalf. This requires registering the shipment on the ACID system for a fee of $75 + 14% VAT (billed back to you at cost).

How to use an ACID number

Once you receive the ACID number from AGS Egypt, send it – together with the importer/exporter tax ID number – to the shipping line/airline to secure the booking.

Ensure both numbers are clearly displayed on the BL/AWB.

All information provided must be accurate as it will be recorded in the customs system and cannot be changed after the final BL/AWB has been issued.

Port recommendations

For sea shipments, we advise using the Port of Alexandria (EGALY) as the point of entry. Shipments entering via the Port of Dekheila (EGDEK) are subject to lengthy inspections and higher costs, particularly for vehicles, which need to be transferred to Alexandria for traffic registration. This makes it only suitable for fully exempted diplomatic shipments of household goods that don’t require inspection.

If you have any questions about this procedure, please contact renaud.bidault@ags-globalsolutions.com or lamia.mohamed@ags-globalsolutions.com.

At its core, balaleet is made with vermicelli cooked in sugar, cardamom, saffron and rose water, giving it a fragrant sweetness. This is topped with a thin omelette, lightly seasoned with spices such as turmeric or cinnamon. The pairing of sweet noodles with savoury eggs creates a unique flavour profile that sets balaleet apart from most breakfast dishes.

Why it’s a classic

Culturally, balaleet holds strong significance in countries like the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. It is often served for breakfast, during Eid celebrations, and at family gatherings, making it a dish closely tied to tradition and hospitality. Many families also have their own variations, passed down through generations.

What truly makes balaleet special is its simplicity paired with depth. It uses humble ingredients, yet delivers rich aromas, cultural meaning and a sense of nostalgia, reflecting the region’s history of spice trade and its love for food that brings people together.

AGS insider tip

Infuse the butter with saffron before adding the vermicelli. This releases both colour and aroma, giving the dish its signature golden hue and a depth of flavour that makes all the difference.

⏱️ Make Your Own in 30 Minutes

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 200g vermicelli noodles
• 2 tbsp butter or ghee
• 3 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• A pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water
• 4 eggs
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp milk
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Break the vermicelli into shorter lengths and boil in lightly salted water until just tender. Drain well.
2. Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Add saffron and let it bloom for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add vermicelli, sugar, and cardamom. Toss gently and cook for 3–4 minutes until glossy and aromatic.
4. Whisk eggs with milk, salt and turmeric. Cook into a thin omelette in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat.
5. Serve the sweet vermicelli topped with the omelette, folded or sliced.

The initial objective was clear: to dispatch and help install the hotel’s fixtures, furniture and equipment (FF&E). But construction delays, caused by social and political challenges, meant installation had to begin before the building was complete, with multitudes of subcontractors still working on site.

A series of logistical and operational hurdles

Access and handling complications

Another project partner had been assigned to unload the FF&E shipment, which arrived in 50 40-foot shipping containers. But when they unexpectedly withdrew, AGS was asked to complete the job.

The team gladly took on the task to keep the dispatch process moving. However, the absence of fully functional elevators, which were often too small for the larger items, made delivering goods to the staging areas a challenge.

As a workaround, they used the external lifts put in place by the construction crew. But as the building neared completion, these were moved off site, and the team were left to rely on their own strength and endurance to get the job done. This required manoeuvring unwieldy equipment up multiple flights of stairs, with as many as 16 team members assisting with the dispatch of particularly heavy items.

Complex inventory management and coordination

The team then had to move the dispatched inventory multiple times as construction progressed, and work needed to be completed in the staging areas previously assigned.

Damage to the inventory already installed was also a constant concern, and the AGS team diligently applied protective materials wherever and whenever required.

Innovative solutions and operational adaptation

Human resources flexibility

Faced with these exceptional constraints, AGS’s scope of work evolved considerably and as the project progressed.

The team’s original responsibilities had been limited to:

• Dispatch from containers to staging area and onward dispatch to the installation sites of the hotel and office building
• Inventory Management into and out of staging areas
• Installation support
• Basic assembly of office furniture and equipment

Their expanded duties included:

• Unloading of containers and unpacking of shipment
• Handling heavy kitchen and cold room equipment
• Keeping dispatched items secure in a series of staging areas
• Supporting the installation of ceilings and finishing work

Creative and cost-effective solutions

Bringing this project to a successful conclusion required creative and pragmatic solutions.

• To adapt to the additional workload, the AGS project manager immediately made more staff available. Drawing on her strong local relationships, she more than doubled the size of the crew, from 15 people to 35 people on site every day.
• To limit the client’s costs, the AGS team reused as much of the original packaging material as possible, including polystyrene protectors, nylon sheets, corner protectors, to protect already-installed furniture.
• To ensure that installation was completed without a hitch, they implemented a system of double checks to track inventory distribution.

The client was impressed by AGS’s flexibility and the quality of the work provided, acknowledging the team’s exceptional ability to adapt to the challenging circumstances in writing.

This recognition paved the way for a new, similar project in Harare, Zimbabwe with 119 rooms, demonstrating the client’s confidence in AGS’s capabilities.

Entrust your complex hotel projects to our proven expertise. Get your personalised quote today