Algeria: costs from shipping document errors no longer fall on the importer

The Directorate of Merchant Shipping and Ports, which reports to the Algerian Ministry of Transport, had observed repeated delays in processing imported vehicles at the ports of Algiers and Oran, caused by frequent errors in shipping documents, particularly regarding the importer's identity and details.

In October 2026, a notice sent to shipping agents, based on executive decree 340-20 governing maritime transport assistance activities, requires that additional costs arising from correcting these errors must now be borne by the responsible party, namely the carrier, the shipping consortium or their agent, rather than passed on to the importer.

The measure directly targets flows of new and used vehicles from China, a sector where the Algerian administration had already tightened import rules in 2026, notably limiting individuals to one vehicle every three years and requiring consolidation for vehicle containers.

This affects Algerian importers of Chinese vehicles, as well as the shipping agents and carriers handling these files at the ports of Algiers and Oran, who are now required to verify the accuracy of the documents themselves before billing the importer.