The UK P&I Club's Egyptian correspondent has advised us of changes to the domestic law in Egypt concerning regulations governing the carriage weapons and armed guards on  foreign flagged vessels transiting Egyptian waters as follows:

Please be advised that on 28/11/2011, we have received from the Ministry of Defence their letter dated 21/11/2011 and also the Naval Operations Department's letter dated 3/12/2011 instructing with the following:

1. The Egyptian Government forbids the presence of any Weapons / Armed Guards on board of commercial vessels as per the rules and regulations of the International Maritime Organization.
2. In case of the presence of weapons on board commercial vessels calling at Egyptian ports, the Masters shall lock the weapons in a safe compartment on board and issue a certificate stating these weapons and delivering it to the pilot in waiting area, the certificate shall include a confirmation from the Master that weapons will be delivered to Port Police Forces once berthed to be locked after being inspected by the police forces and to be returned back to vessel before departing the port.
3. In case of not adopting the above regulations, the vessel will not be permitted to enter the port.
4. In case of vessels transiting the Suez Canal, the Port Police Forces will be receiving the weapons from the transiting vessels at points of entrance inland and will be returned back to the vessel at point of departure.
5. In case of presence of weapons on board vessels in territorial waters or in ports in waiting areas or during transit of the Suez Canal, the Master and crew will be in violation of the Egyptian Laws under which the vessel will be under arrest together with the Master and crew and the persons holding the weapons without permits and the law number 394 of the year 1954 and its amendments will be applied. This violation will be attended by the General Prosecutor where a Police Verbal Process will be issued accordingly.

Please apply these regulations provided by Ministry of Defence accurately and notify all shipping companies and agencies and all Masters of vessels calling at Egyptian Ports.

Source: UK P&I Club