The Ghanaian government has officially introduced a new regulation: effective July 1, 2018 (based on the bill of lading date), every shipment must have a CTN certificate processed at the port of loading. For customs clearance at the destination port, an officially approved CTN certificate must be provided, and the CTN number must appear on both the manifest and the bill of lading. Otherwise, the goods will not be cleared normally at the destination port and may even face high fines or the risk of confiscation.

The Kenya (KENYA) ECTN (or Kenya CTN) is a mandatory certification document for exports to Kenya. Failure to obtain it may result in the shipping line at the port of loading being unable to issue the bill of lading, or the consignee at the destination port being unable to clear customs. One ECTN corresponds to one bill of lading, and the details on the ECTN must match those on the bill of lading.

According to the decree issued on 01/03/2013 by the Shippers' Association of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and Portugal's S.C.C. (Conselho Nacional de Carregadores da Guiné-Bissau – CNC-GB) and S.C.C. Lda, effective from 01/04/2013, all goods destined for the ports of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau (Port of BISSAU) or arriving in the territory of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau via transshipment ports must

According to Decree No. 01/MFB/SG/DGD issued by Madagascar on March 23, 2007, all goods shipped to Madagascar must apply for the new Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) certification document, also known as the BSC certification document.

According to the latest decree of the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO, the new FERI certificate system has been officially implemented since 2019. ICTS Shanghai Jichang can continue to accept applications for the new FERI certificate. The old FERI certificate system was completely shut down on April 1, 2019. The former general agent in Italy, as well as the secondary agents in Singapore and Hong Kong, no longer have the qualification to issue any FERI certificates for the DRC after April 1, 2019. To avoid unnecessary fines, export customers must read the following carefully.

Equatorial Guinea requires that, effective January 11, 2010, all goods exported to Guinea must have an ECTN applied for at the port of loading in accordance with the requirements of the Guinea Port Authority (NPA). For customs clearance at the destination port, the officially approved ECTN document must be provided; otherwise, clearance will not be possible and a penalty will be imposed.

Mozambique ECTN, also known as Mozambique BESC, stands for Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN in English) and BESC in French. According to Mozambique Customs regulations, effective from November 1, 2013, all shipments destined for or transiting through Mozambican ports such as MAPUTO, BEIRA, NACALA, and QUELIMANE must obtain an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note. Failure to apply for this BESC will be considered a violation of cargo import regulations.

According to Decree No. 340 of November 12, 2001 of Côte d'Ivoire, all goods shipped to the Port of Abidjan (ABIDJAN) must apply for a BSC (Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons) Cargo Tracking Note. Failure to apply will be considered a violation of Ivorian regulations and will result in severe penalties at the destination port.

According to the regulations of the Burundian authorities, the ECTN (BESC) policy is enforced. All goods exported to Burundi must apply for an ECTN certificate at the port of loading. For customs clearance at the destination port, a formally approved ECTN certificate must be provided; otherwise, clearance will not be possible and a penalty will be imposed.

In accordance with Decree No. 00557 issued by Burkina Faso on 11/07/2006: effective from November 7, 2006, all goods exported to Burkina Faso must be accompanied by a Burkina Faso ECTN/BESC (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note). Failure to comply will result in the goods being detained at the destination port or incurring fines.

The Niger Port Authority requires that all goods exported to Niger must have an ECTN applied for at the port of loading. For customs clearance at the destination port, an officially approved ECTN certificate must be provided. Otherwise, customs clearance at the destination port will not be possible, and a penalty will be imposed.

Nigeria CTN, also known as the Nigeria Advance Cargo Declaration System (Nigeria ACD), is a pre-shipment cargo declaration system. It enables end-to-end monitoring of all goods imported into Nigeria from the port of origin, thereby enhancing port security, effectively controlling arms smuggling, monitoring the declared value of imported goods, and increasing import tax revenue.

SONCAP stands for Standards Organization of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Program, which is a mandatory conformity assessment program in Nigeria. SONCAP is a new policy implemented by Nigeria to inspect and control the export of substandard and unsafe products into the country.

The Angolan government mandates that all goods imported into Angola by sea must obtain the CNCA LOADING CERTIFICATE (CONSELHO NACIONAL DE CARREGADORES DE Angola). The CNCA number must be shown on the bill of lading, and the CNCA number must be provided when submitting the bill of lading draft to the shipping line. Failure to apply for this certificate will be considered a violation of Angola’s transport regulatory regulations and will prevent smooth customs clearance at the destination port. The Angolan government has strict rules regarding the retroactive issuance of CNCA certificates.

The Chad ECTN (or Chad CTN) is a mandatory certification document for exports to Chad. Failure to obtain it may result in the shipping line at the port of loading being unable to issue the bill of lading, or the consignee at the destination port being unable to clear customs. One bill of lading corresponds to one ECTN, and the details on the ECTN must match those on the bill of lading.

The Central African Republic, abbreviated as CAR, requires that effective from January 11, 2010 (based on the bill of lading date), all cargo destined for any port in CAR must obtain a Cargo Tracking Note (BESC/ECTN Number) before loading and have this number shown on the bill of lading. When submitting the bill of lading draft to the shipping line, the CAR BESC/ECTN number must also be provided.

Effective May 20, 2017, as required by the shipping line in accordance with Gabon Customs regulations, shipping instructions containing a valid BIETC number must be submitted before loading. Without a BIETC number, we will not allow the cargo to be loaded on board. The BIETC number must be activated within 5 days after vessel departure. Please promptly provide the activated BIETC document to the local customer service department for verification. The original bill of lading can only be released after successful verification. If you fail to provide a valid BIETC document within 5 days after vessel departure, all resulting customs penalties at the destination port, and even the costs of returning the cargo on the original vessel, will be borne by you. If you have any questions, please contact us for consultation.

Since September 1, 2013, Tanzania has implemented the ECTN certification. Any cargo shipped without an ECTN certificate will face severe penalties at the destination port. The ECTN is a mandatory clearance document for exports to Tanzania. Failure to obtain it may result in the shipping line at the port of origin being unable to issue a bill of lading, or the consignee being unable to clear customs at the destination port.

Kenya COC certification, also known as PVOC certification, is a mandatory certificate for exports to Kenya. Without it, goods cannot be cleared through local customs. The COC certification requires full-container loading supervision. Once the factory has finished producing the goods, the shipping container is arranged to be on-site, where an inspector conducts an on-site inspection, supervises the loading of the goods into the container, and finally affixes a seal to the container.

According to the latest news from Tanzania, the country will implement the Certificate of Conformity (COC), which falls under pre-shipment inspection, starting from February 1, 2012. All products listed in Tanzania's controlled catalogue must apply for a COC before shipment; otherwise, customs clearance at the destination port will not be possible. Unlike the previous Tanzania shipment inspection, the Tanzania COC must be applied for before the goods are shipped. Once the cargo has departed, it will be impossible to obtain a COC retroactively. In addition, the Tanzania COC application also requires the submission of product testing reports and other documents for initial review.

Starting from July 16, 2018, the COC policy (Certificate of Conformity) will be officially implemented. The Ivory Coast COC certification is often also referred to as VOC certification or PVOC certification. In fact, these are all product conformity certifications and represent the same certificate as the COC, just with different names. Products listed in the Ivory Coast import control catalog must be accompanied by a Certificate of Conformity (COC) during customs clearance; otherwise, they will face heavy fines from local customs!

Effective from August 1, 2015, this certification is mandatory and constitutes a compulsory conformity assessment program implemented by AGANOR (Agence Gabonaise de Normalisation) for products prior to export. It is now enforced to ensure that consumers in Gabon receive high-quality and safe imported products.

The mandatory COC (Certification of Conformity) program for Uganda is scheduled to be re-implemented on December 3, 2012. All regulated products exported to Uganda must apply for a COC before shipment in order to clear customs at the destination port.

Starting from October 1, 2014, following an official announcement, Ghana formally began implementing the GCAP Conformity Certification Program, with the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) designated to oversee and regulate the execution of this GCAP certification program. The Ghana COC conformity certification is used for customs clearance of goods in Ghana.

To comply with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, Madagascar has implemented an Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) policy for shipping lines' import and export operations in the country. Both imports and exports will be monitored through the Transport and Port Management System (TPMS).

SONCAP / PVOC / COC Inspection

According to Angola’s regulations, all cargo shipped to Angolan ports such as Luanda, Cabinda, Lobito, and Soyo, as well as cargo transshipped via Pointe-Noire (Republic of the Congo) to Angola, must apply for an ARCCLA shipping certificate. Failure to apply will be considered a violation of Angolan regulations and may result in penalties at the destination port. ARCCLA is the abbreviation for AGENCIA REGULADORA CERTIFICACAO DE CARGA E LOGISTICA DE ANGOLA, also known as the Loading Certificate.

Guangzhou Aopai International Freight Forwarding Co., Ltd., leveraging years of operational experience and a strong customs clearance network, has developed sea freight door-to-door DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) services for LCL (Less than Container Load) shipments to numerous countries. LCL refers to shipments where the cargo does not fill an entire container, or where clearing a full container involves high costs and lengthy procedures, requiring split shipments to save on customs duties and taxes. Based on these and other factors, our company integrates cargo volume, customs clearance channels, stable transit times, and more to provide optimal solutions. Thanks & Best Regards!

Effective from May 15, 2023, every shipment loaded or discharged in The Gambia, or with The Gambia as the origin/final/transit destination (import/export and transit), must obtain a Cargo Tracking Note number (ENS/ENX) prior to shipment. Additionally, the vessel or carrier transporting such cargo must also obtain a Movement Reference Number (MRN) from the Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions Company platform and present it to their representatives at all ports worldwide.

According to Benin national regulations, all goods shipped to the port of Cotonou or transiting through this port to other destinations must be accompanied by an electronic cargo tracking note known as BESC, which stands for BORDEREAU DE SUIVI DE CARGAISON. BESC is also referred to as ECTN, which stands for ELECTRONIC CARGO TRACKING NOTE, and is called an electronic cargo tracking note or import cargo manifest in Chinese. The Benin BESC (or Benin ECTN) is a mandatory certification document for exports to Benin.

According to the regulations of Togo, all goods shipped to Togo or transshipped via other ports to a destination in Togo must be accompanied by an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN). The ECTN, known in Chinese as the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note or Import Cargo Manifest, is a mandatory certification document for exports to Togo. Failure to obtain the Togo ECTN (or Togo CTN) may result in the shipping line at the port of loading being unable to issue the bill of lading or the destination

According to the BURUNDI decree, effective from April 1, 2014, all goods transiting through the ports of Dar es Salaam or Mombasa and then forwarded to Burundi must apply for the BESC (ECTN) electronic cargo tracking note. Failure to apply will be considered a violation of Burundi’s regulations and will result in severe penalties at the destination. To avoid unnecessary fines, export customers are strongly advised to carefully read the following instructions.

Liberia CTN / LIBERIA CTN: CTN stands for Cargo Tracking Note, a general term for a customs clearance document required for imports by most African countries. In Chinese, it is referred to as a cargo tracking note. In simple terms, it achieves the cargo tracking effect of CTN through the ACD import pre-declaration system.

According to a notice from the Sierra Leone Ports Authority (SLPA), all containers imported into the country must comply with the Advanced Cargo Declaration (ACD) requirement and provide a Cargo Declaration Number (CTN). The local port authority will decide whether to permit the cargo to be loaded and shipped from the port of origin based on the advance cargo declaration information.

Starting from January 1, 2021 (date of arrival at the destination port), the Libyan authorities will begin enforcing new ECTN regulations. All shipments destined for Tripoli, Misurata, Benghazi, or transshipped via these ports to other destinations must obtain a BESC/ECTN electronic cargo tracking note. Failure to apply will be considered a violation of Libyan regulations and will result in severe penalties at the destination port.

According to the regulations of Senegal, all goods shipped to Senegal or transshipped via other ports to a destination in Senegal must be accompanied by an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN). In Chinese, it is referred to as an electronic cargo tracking note or import cargo manifest.

According to the requirements of the South Sudan Port Authority: Starting from April 1, 2019, all goods destined for South Sudan (including transit cargo) must obtain a South Sudan CTN NO. (Cargo Tracking Number). Otherwise, the shipping company at the port of loading will not be able to issue the ocean bill of lading normally, and customs clearance and cargo release at the destination port will not be possible. Our company is the authorized issuing agency of the South Sudan Port Authority in China, primarily responsible for handling applications and issuing the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) in China.

According to the Republic of the Congo Notice No. 151/CCC/DG issued on 15/04/2004, effective immediately, all goods shipped to Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo, or transshipped via its port must apply for an ECTN certificate through the official agent at the port of loading. Failure to apply for this ECTN certificate will be considered a violation of the regulations, resulting in the inability to clear customs normally at the port of Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo, and will incur penalties.

In accordance with the decrees of the Republic of Mali (25/07/2005 Decree N° 05‐341/P‐RM & 31/12/2008 N° 08‐3718/MET‐MF‐MEIC‐S6), all shipments destined for the Republic of Mali must be accompanied by an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN). The ECTN is a mandatory document required by Malian Customs for customs clearance procedures. It must be indicated on the Bill of Lading and the Manifest, and applications cannot be processed at the port of destination.

Attention to those exporting to Djibouti ❗❗❗ The Djibouti Ports and Free Zones Authority has decided to apply the ECTN certificate to goods destined for the Port of Djibouti.

The Somalia CTN is a mandatory loading certificate for all sea freight shipments to Somali ports. It is required for Mogadishu, Berbera, Bosaso, or any other port. You may also know it as CTN/ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), introduced as a regulation in 2023 by the Somali Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport. Failure to present the CTN document will result in severe consequences and heavy fines. Somalia has enforced CTN certificate customs clearance since February 1, 2023.