
29 May 2026
A new ministerial decree extends Egypt's recreational cruising permit area to include all coastline south of Hurghada, opening previously restricted anchorages to pleasure craft.
A new ministerial decree issued in April 2026 has expanded Egypt's recreational cruising permit area to cover the full Egyptian Red Sea coastline, including sections south of Hurghada that were previously off-limits to non-Egyptian pleasure craft without special authorisation.
Under the previous framework, vessels required individual anchorage permits for designated protected reef areas and a separate military clearance for coastline south of approximately 25°N latitude. Both requirements have been simplified under the new decree into a single comprehensive cruising permit valid for 90 days.
Felix Maritime can arrange the new comprehensive cruising permit as part of its standard port entry package. Applications must be submitted at least 10 days before the vessel's first arrival into Egyptian waters. Contact our team for the full requirements list.