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Sending the soft-copies of the necessary documents to us via e-mail is all you need to do. We got it from there. We provide the CTN within 24 hours on average.
You need this document if you are exporting to one of 20+ African countries we provide the certificate to. But if you are still having second thoughts about it, don’t hesitate to ask us, we offer free consultation!
We have offices in; India, Netherlands, United Kingdom, USA, Hong Kong and UAE. These locations aren’t selected randomly. We hand-picked this locations so we can serve you 24/7 no matter where you are.
No, you don’t need to do that. The whole process is completed online and without the need of any physical contact.
ECTN Vietnam is an independent consulting firm to help you to get the necessary CTN certificates to many African Countries. ECTN Vietnam is an international company that is based in USA and UAE.
ECTN is another form of a waiver document and it stands for Electronic Cargo Tracking Note. You may have heard about Bordereau de Suivi Cargaison (BSC) or Loading Certificate that is exactly the same as the ECTN document.
These waiver certificates are an official marine document that contains information relating to the cargo and its movement between ports.Certain African countries require this from shippers with an aim to effectively control, supervise and manage import/export traffic of the country. Each ECTN must be applied and validated at the loading port and are fundamental for the import customs clearance upon arrival. Cargoes not covered by a valid ECTN will be blocked by the local Customs until the presentation of the final ECTN and appropriate fine will be charged.
Waiver documents have full details of the exporter/ importer, shipping method (containerized, groupage, etc), type and value of goods being transported, name of vessel and cost of freight for the shipment. These waivers are dealt with by the importer or exporter and must be filed before the cargo arrives at its port of discharge. The time frame and duration devoted to getting the certificate validated vary immensely. We advise you to consult with our agents to find out what is the deadline for applying the CTN certificate of your discharge country. Your shipment will be penalized and ECTN will not be issued if you miss the certification deadline.
It is another name for a waiver document. It stands for Fiche Électronique des Renseignements a l’Importation. This particular document is required for shipments that go to Democratic Republic of Congo.
BESC stands for Bordereau Électronique de Suivi de Cargaisonis. It is a waiver document that is required at the certain African ports. This particular document is mandatory for shipments that go to Cameroon and Benin.
BSC is another name for a waiver document. It stands for Bordereau de Suivi de Cargaison. This particular document is required for shipments that go to Mali, Sierra Leone,Niger, Senegal, Madagascar and Ivory Coast.
Unlike other ECTN / BSC certificate providers, we do not ask you to register, fill a form or submit personal details. Instead, to apply for ECTN / BSC certificates you just need to e-mail us the copies of necessary documents. We will fill the form on your behalf and issue the draft copy together with the invoice.
Moreover, in contrast to others, we do not ask you for a deposit or any upfront payments. Once we will issue the invoice and draft the ECTN certificate, it is up to you when you want to pay and validate your certificate.
Prices for the ECTN BSC certificate vary depending on the final destination country. To find out prices for your given country, talk to us now or send us an e-mail for price requests. We will get back to you within minutes.
CNCA certificate (Conselho Nacional de Carregadores) is a Loading Certificate (LC) which is a compulsory document for all commercial shipments to Angola since 28/01/1994 (Decree no. 19/94).
Each Bill of Lading covering cargo with the final destination to Angola must be accompanied by an Angola CNCA certificate. Angola CNCA certificate allows Angola Customs to control the traffic at the port, track the shipment, and enable consignees to clear their cargo at destination.
In order to apply for the ECTN certificate, you must accumulate the necessary documents required by each country. You can request the list by sending us an e-mail or just a quick chat. Once you have collected all the required documents, you would normally have to fill out the application form and submit your documents via the online system of the relevant country.
However, we at ECTN Vietnam know how your time is precious for you; and we know how time-consuming and stressful it is to apply for an ECTN certificate using online system. This is why we have formed a professional team to do the hard work of filling up the application form for you. Additionally, our team will assist you at every step of the process at no extra commission.
Thus, to apply for ECTN all you need to do is observe necessary documents and email them to us. We will fill the form on your behalf and issue the draft copy together with an invoice within 24 hours. Once we will issue the invoice and draft the ECTN certificate, it is up to you when you want to pay the certificate fee and validate your certificate.
It is that easy! If you still cannot get your head around it, talk to us now!
The information and documents you send to us in support of your waiver certificate are treated with utmost confidentiality. Those documents are not permanently stored. All the information are secured with 256-bit encrypted SSL channels. Only our certificate issuing team and the relevant customs Authorities have access to it. Therefore, you can be in peace whilst sharing the necessary documentations with us.
Yes. The Togo ports are widely used for transit purposes. They are mainly used for transit shipments to Burkina Faso and Niger, as well as Ghana and Benin, though they have their own ports, in certain cases. Whether the goods discharged at the Togo ports for transit purposes or as a final destination, each shipment must have valid Togo ECTN certificate.
If you are using Benin as a transit point for Nigeria, you do need to get BESC certificate for Benin. Your goods could not be cleared at any port without BESC certification.
CTN is another form a waiver document and stands for Cargo Tracking Note. You may have heard about Bordereau de Suivi Cargaison (BSC) or Loading Certificate that is exactly the same as the CTN document.
These waiver certificates are an official marine document that contains information relating to the cargo and its movement between ports. Certain African countries require this from shippers with an aim to effectively control, supervise and manage import/export traffic of the country. Each CTN must be applied and validated at the loading port and are fundamental for the import customs clearance upon arrival. Cargoes not covered by a valid CTN will be blocked by the local Customs until the presentation of the final CTN and appropriate fine will be charged.
Waiver documents have full details of the exporter/ importer, shipping method (containerized, groupage, etc), type and value of goods being transported, name of vessel and cost of freight for the shipment. These waivers are dealt with by the importer or exporter and must be filed before the cargo arrives at its port of discharge. The time frame and duration devoted to getting the certificate validated vary immensely. We advise you to consult with our agents to find out what is the deadline for applying the CTN certificate of your discharge country. Your shipment will be penalized and CTN will not be issued if you miss the certification deadline.
Click here to see the list of countries that require a CTN certificate.
If you have any other questions about Cargo Tracking Note, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
The aim of the CTN is to reduce the risk of unauthorized imports, real-time monitoring of cargoes and reliable assessments of import goods, their shippers, importers, and other details. In the case of Breakbulk shipments, the Cargo Tracking Note also enables Port authorities to better manage the port traffic to berth vessels as quickly as possible and ensures the availability of necessary unloading equipment.
There are cases when BL doesn’t have a port of loading for Break Bulk Shipment. An example would be when fishing companies load their catch from open waters or international waters. The owners of this type of Break Bulk cargoes are still responsible for obtaining CTN cargo.
Even if the SGS number is entered into the application, the number is not printed to the validated BESC certificate. This is not wrong or right, it is just the way Cameroon authorities have formatted the BESC. You can check the draft certificate if the right SGS number is entered.
Yes. Togo ECTN validation process is split into two parts. First, the certificate gets pre-validated, where the shipper be provided with the ECTN number. Then, we require the Original Bill of Lading copy with the ECTN number so we can validate the certificate.
TI is a part of GUOT document, which acts as an Import declaration in the Republic of Congo. The TI is required as a supporting document in order to apply for ECTN.
URN number is a reference number of the Rep. of Congo ECTN certificate. It can be found on validated ECTN certificate.
Yes, you can apply for Republic of Congo ECTN certificate after the departure. However, please note that authorities imposed a penalty on top of certificate charges if the certificate is not validated within 5 days of the onboard date. The fine is 50% of the original certificate cost.
Yes. Niger BSC validation process is split into two parts. First, the certificate gets pre-validated, where the shipper is provided with the BSC number. Then we require Original Bill of Lading copy with the BSC number so we can validate the certificate.
No, Unfortunately, once validated, the BSC certificate to Madagascar cannot be revised in any way. You will need to explain the reason for the change at the destination customs.
The shipping lines have the right to charge the shipper if any details that must go to the BL is not submitted on time. This charge is called Manifest amendment charge and can range from 100 to 200 Euro.
We couldn’t know the penalty fee you will face if you missed the deadline for BIETC certificate. But there have been cases where exporters faced with a penalty up to $40,000 for 2×40’containers.
Normally a vehicle over 3 years old cannot be exported to Gabon. However, CAT’s are not considered as vehicle bu Gabon authorities, thus we can issue the BIETC certificate for CAT.
Depending on the continent the loading port is located, the Gabon authorities have granted 5 to 15 days within which the BIETC certificate must be validated. The authorities are draconian about this policy. The certificate can not be validated and will be penalized if the certificate is not validated within the allocated time frame:
- 10 calendar days after sailing for shipments with departure Europe
- 5 calendar days after sailing for shipments with departure Africa
- 15 calendar days after sailing for shipments with departure America, Asia and Oceania
Some shipping lines do ask for the BIETC number before you can actually load the goods on to the vessel. We can issue the number with draft BL before vessel discharge.
Most shipping agents ask exporters to acquire BIETC certificate before the cargo can be loaded to the vessel. This number will also be depicted on the Bill of Lading. However, in certain cases, exporters can get away without mentioning the BIETC number on the Bill of Lading.
Yes. There is no restriction in terms of exporting tea into DR Congo. We can provide your FERI certificate if you have required documents .
Yes. Any party involved in the export process of the goods can apply for FERI certificate as long as they can submit the required documents to us via email.
They are both the same kind of waiver certificate. Just different country authorities call it their own way. FERI is a certificate name given by DR Congo authorities for the waiver they require from each sea shipment.
No. All the parties on the Bill of Lading will be the same on the ECTN certificate. If you want to hide the supplier name on the certificate for a transit shipment you will need to arrange a switch BL.
Yes, Even after validated, Cameroon BESC certificate can be corrected.
You need to get waiver document for Air shipment to Cameroon. But the application is filled only at arrival. This is the only kind of waiver which you can apply only at arrival.
Unless specifically required by your shipping line, the ECTN / BSC number for the subject country doesn’t need to be mentioned on the BL copy.
Yes. Angola authorities do not have a restriction in the age of heavy-duty vehicles that can be shipped into the country.
It depends on the country it has been loaded from. In certain cases, we can amend the certificate if the hard copy is not given to the courier. Even if the original hard copy has been released, we can still make an amendment at extra cost.
The DU document or Documento Unico is an Import Licence in Angola. A DU document is compulsory for all CNCA applications from 10/02/2015. A DU document has to be valid in terms of the Expiry date on field 25e. This document expiry date is normally 60 days from the date of DU issuance.
However, the Documento Unico or the Import Licence is exempt if a shipment will be cleared, at the destination, under Temporary Regime. Another instance where DU document is not an obligation is when the total FOB value is below 5000 USD.
In case of Temporary shipment, the exporter is required to submit a letter confirming the cargo is on the temporary expedition. In this type of expedition, a special format of DU number will be entered on the validated CNCA certificate.
Sample DU Document
Expiry date must be a valid date.
You may also be asking whether ECTN or BSC certificate for your shipment
[09:22] ectnvietnam visitor: we need to know which is the waiver needed for a shipment of 17×20′ container to TOGO as final destination, is it ECTN or just BSC?[09:23] representative: those two are same certificates one is in English (ECTN) another is in French (BSC)[09:24] representative: particularly for Togo the certificate is called ECTN[09:24] representative: do you want me to explain you the procedures?[09:27] getctn visitor: BESC is still the same certificate?[09:27] representative: Yes, BESC is also another name for the same certificate [09:32] V1520500499847206: ok, thank you. we’ll return to you for procedure and cost once the shipment will be ready[09:36] representative: sure[09:42] representative: thank you
Q: How do I provide a Commercial invoice for household and personal goods to get ECTN certificate?
A: The authorities still require Proforma Invoice for ECTN certificate even though the shipment is personal goods. The value of the goods can be estimated and doesn’t have to reflect on the market value. As long as the description of goods and listed correctly and the HS Code is shown. Find the downloadable link for Google Sheets Proforma Invoice form which you can use for your own purposes.
Q: Is it mandatory to mention ECTN number on Master Bill of Lading?
A: Certain Shipping Lines require ECTN certificate prior to load the cargo. In this case the shipping agent will have to write the ECTN number on Master BL. However, the universal requirement that is the same for all countries. Please refer to the FAQ of a specific country for this question.
International trade is in some cases more complicated than just seller and buyer terms. Some transactions may involve several parties in the form of manufacturer, intermediary, freight forwarder, local agent and importer/consignee. Which Party is responsible for BSC certificate in such cases?
Generally BSC is exporter obligation as it is their responsibility that commodity reaches final destination safely and get custom clearance. However, there is no specific requirement as of who has to apply for BSC. Any party related in the particular trade can request BSC certificate by sending an email to [email protected] As we say that, it is also worth to mention, there are some documents required to apply for BSC certificate. In the triangular trade, to apply for BSC we need the commercial invoice that if provided to the importer. This is the most important during this type of trade
Q: What is After Carriage Value?
A: After Carriage Value is the transportation charges between the port of discharge and the delivery address. This charge must be shown on the commercial invoice to obtain Togo ECTN.
Q: Why After Carriage Value must be shown on the commercial invoice to apply for Togo ECTN?
A: In some cases, especially when Incoterm is DAP (Delivery At Place), Togo Custom Authorities require After Carriage value along with FOB and Freight value to be depicted on the Commercial Invoice.
Hello, I am Jagan, Director of Operations at Shipwaves Logistics company in India. On September 2017 we shipped 2x40HC containers to Libreville, Gabon for the first time. Our shipment arrived to the destination only to be asked for the Loading certificate called BIETC. I know a lot about this certificate now, but didn’t know anything back then.
We have received a message from Customs Union, that if didn’t provide this document we would receive penalty up to Euro 40000, that is exactly same as the value of goods being sold. We have searched for a way around this and came across ECTN Vietnam.com to get this document. Kyle, the manager, was kind to explain the process of obtaining the Gabon BIETC certificate. However, as per Gabon Custom regulations, I was unable to get this document at this point as it was too late to apply. Kyle advised me to bring the cargo back to the loading port, get the BIETC certificate and then reload the containers. I did exactly that and saved almost Euro 30000 for the company.
The motive behind this Case Review post is that I know there are numerous other shippers who do not know about Gabon BIETC certificate. I want those people to note and avoid the situation our company has experienced. Make sure that you apply for the BIETC certificate as soon as possible. Otherwise you will receive penalty up to 100% of value of goods.
Can I apply for CTN with House Bill of Lading?
It is possible to apply CTN certificate with House Bill of Lading. However, Master BL is still required later on during validation process of all waiver certificates.
INSTRUCTIONS for Cameroon BESC certificate are as follows: ● ECTN (BESC) must be presented to the CNSC (Cameroon National Shippers Council) within 5 days after the departure and 5 days before the vessel arrives to the port. ● Shipping or arrival without BESC or false information in ECTN results in a fine of an amount that is equivalent to the cost of the BESC, plus the regularisation charge determined by CNSC. Click the link for more Information and to Apply for Cameroon BESC
INSTRUCTIONS for Democratic Republic of Congo FERI certificate are as follows: ● The FERI waiver certificate must be requested by the Charger BEFORE loading of cargo. ●Shippers or the forwarder agents have to submit FERI certificate 5 days before the vessel arrives to the territorial waters of Democratic Republic of Congo.
● Failing to submit the FERI certificate, cargo cannot get custom clearance and returned back to the origin ● If FERI is absent, to unload the container, the FERI issuance will be paid at the arrival, plus, a fine of %20 on the freight value. (409/021 – 23th March 1992) Click the link for more Information and to Apply for D.R. Congo FERI
In order to monitor all shipment volumes into the country, on March 23rd, 2007 n°01/MFB/SG/DGD, the Office Marine Customs for Madagascar has introduced a Bordereau de Suivi de Cargaison (BSC) – a cargo tracking note. The BSC is mandatory for every shipments into the country and a cargo can consequently not be delivered without this ceriticate.
- Failing to submit the BSC certificate, cargo cannot be cleared and will be sent back to origin.
- All containers, vehicles, bulk commodities, including air-freight must get BSC.
- Customs Declaration amendments at the destinations port are subject to a fine of 2500 USD per Bill of lading, plus regulations charge. This amount will be debited to the agency that requests the correction.
- Exporter or the forwarder agents have to submit BSC certificate 5 days before the vessel arrives to Madagascar Customs territory
Q: Do I have to present the original hard copy of BSC to authorities to get customs clearance for my cargo?
A: Most of the countries do not require the original BSC copy from an Importer. As long as you have a valid certificate number, you can have customs clearance for your cargo without a hassle. On the other hand, the importers in Angola must present the original CNCA certificate to the customs authorities. Authorities of Angola Marine Customs require all the waiver certificates to be in an original form.
Q: Can consignee release the shipment in Angola without original CNCA?
A: Angola is the only country whose authorities require Importer to provide the original hard copy CNCA certificate before they can release the cargo. Every other country that mandates inbound shipments to accompany waiver certificate only require a copy of the certificate. However, in Angola, if you don’t send the original certificate to the importer, they can not clear the goods.
To the attention of all shippers, freight forwarders, economic actors: It has been brought to our attention that authorities are discontent with Benin BESC validations in Port Autonome de Cotonou, with extra charges of 50.000 FCFA. This attitude is against the rules and regulations. Please be reminded that all ECTN must be issued and validated at the port of loading.
INSTRUCTIONS for Benin BESC certificate are as follows: ● The BESC waiver certificate must be requested by the Charger BEFORE loading of cargo. ● All BESC must be validated NO LATER THAN 5 DAYS AFTER voyage departed. ● Failing to submit the BSC certificate, cargo cannot get custom clearance and returned back to the origin ● If the Transporter loads a cargo towards Benin without a draft BIETC reference number, he will receive a penalty of 100% of the Freight manifest value for not complying to the Benin law Click the link for more information and to Apply for Benin BESC
● Shippers or the forwarder agent have to submit ECTN certificate within 5 days before the vessel arrives to the Togolese customs. ● The ECTN waiver certificate must be requested by the Charger BEFORE loading of cargo. ● Draft Bill of lading is required in order to generate ECTN number. ●All ECTN must be validated NO LATER THAN 5 DAYS AFTER ECTN NUMBER IS GENERATED. Click the link for more Information and to Apply for Togo ECTN. Any questions, we are Live NOW
- Copy of original Bill of Lading
- Commercial invoice (We request you to reattach your invoice with country of origin of all items)
- Custom declaration
- Freight Invoice (Required only if value of Freight is not mentioned in the Commercial invoice)
Please send the available document to us for our colleagues to check and advise on missing papers. Any questions, feel free to chat with us!
Certificate of Insurance is primarily required by Ivory Coast authorities in order to issue BSC certificates. See below for Sample copy. The certificate must contain the FDI number and all shipment details have to match other documents.
Air shipment for certain countries is subject to BSC certificate. However, there are certain cases your cargo is exempt from obtaining waiver certificate. In terms of BSC certificate for air-shipments, every African country, except Madagascar, allow air shipments to pass custom declaration without obtaining Cargo Tracking Note. BSC Madagascar, on the other hand, is mandatory for every commercial shipment no matter the type of cargo, including the air shipment.
Packing list is required mainly by Ivory Coast and Madagascar authorities in order to issue ECTN / BSC certificates. The mandatory field in this document is the reference number and the container details such as number and type. See below for Sample copy
Freight invoice is mandatory document in order to apply for ECTN, BSC, BIETC, BESC waiver certificates. Although, outlook of the document is ought to change from one shipping line to another, the content of the form is unchanged.
Q: Please advise if we may send a final bill to you without the BIETC number? The implication is if we print the bill – we will pay an amendment and reprint fee should the BIETC be required to be on it.
A: Yes you may use BL without BIETC number. Bietc number doesn’t have to be written on BL.
In order to monitor all Côte d’Ivoire volumes, the Office Ivoirien des Chargeurs, in 2003, (OIC – the Ivorian Shippers Council) has introduced a Bordereau de Suivi de Cargaison (BSC) – a cargo tracking note. The order urged Shippers to apply for BSC with an exceptional decision of creating CTN/BSC at the destination port. However, allowing the recommendations of the National Workshop, in 2013, all shippers were informed that the exceptional decision of creating Cargo Tracking Note at the destination in the Ivorian seaports was repealed. Customs clearance is made not possible without the BSC at arrival and cargo can consequently be returned.
REGULATIONS
- Failing to submit the BSC certificate, cargo cannot be cleared and will be sent back to the origin.
- All containers, vehicles, bulk commodities must get BSC.
- Customs Declaration amendments are subject to a fine of 2500 USD per Bill of lading. This amount will be debited to the agency that requests the correction.
Export custom declaration is requested by some countries. Below you may find a sample document.
The Gabonese Shipping Council’s (CGC) instructions are as follows:
● All cargo towards Gabon (in transit included) is subject to a BIETC (ECTN) declaration (compulsory), ● The BIETC declaration must be requested by the Charger BEFORE loading of cargo: This means even before there is a draft bill of lading.
● The BIETC reference number must be mentioned on the Bill of Lading,
● The BIETC declaration must be validated within 5 days after sailing from Departure,
● If the BIETC declaration was not filed by the charger before loading, the Gabonese customer will have to file the request
at his side but against a penalty of
50% of the value of the Freight manifest, in order to recover his cargo,
● If the Transporter loads a cargo towards Gabon without a draft BIETC reference number or validated
visa received from the Charger, he will be penalized for not complying to the Gabonese law (penalty of 100% of the Freight manifest value).
Before or after vessel departure, the period agreed to get this provisional BIC signed and stamped varies following regions:
AFRICA: 5 Days after vessel departure
AMERICA: 15 Days after vessel departure
ASIA: 10 Days after vessel departure
EUROPE: 5 Days after vessel departure
Please click the link to read Live Case Study from Shipper who received €40000 penalty
Q: Can you issue us certificate with date of issuance within 5 days of vessel sailing?
A: Yes we must issue the certificate even though it has been more than 5 days. Keep in mind that importer will pay penalty at the port of destination. If we don’t issue the certificate it will be penalties and 3-5 days of delay. So it is better to have CTN document.
BSC for Madagascar can be issued with:
As information delivered by the Malagasy customs with reference °152-2016/MFB/SG/DGD/DES/SPCB of 27 October 2016, we request you to provide and attach below mandatory details:
- Copy of original Bill of Lading or copy of Airway Bill ( You may apply with draft BL or AWB, for validation originals are mandatory)
- A commercial invoice (We request you to reattach your invoice with the country of origin of all items)
- Custom declaration
- Freight Invoice (Required only if the value of Freight is not mentioned in the Commercial invoice)
- Packing list (must refer following; *The reference, the number and the type of the container. * total package)
Q: Can our importer apply For ECTN certificate.
A: All ECTN procedures are the duty of exporter. Freight forwarders can apply on behalf of their exporters.
High penalties (up to 3 times of total freight invoice) occur to the importer if the exporter does not apply.
Q: We have sent All documents to our importer. Can he make the payment directly to your company & send documents.
A: Yes they can contact us and they can submit documents on behalf of the exporter.
Sending small parcels and paying the ECTN certificate fee for Full Container Load may seem unfair. Although that is the requirement, there are a number of ways to share the cost of the ECTN certificate if you are sharing the container.
First, you can share the cost of the ECTN certificate for your LCL container, if you are using freight forwarder and if they have local agents at the destination country to address the container to. In this case, the Master BL is created to Freight Forwarder as the exporter and the local agent as Importer.
The second option arises when exporters from the same location sending to the same consignee. In this case, one of the exporters acts as an intermediator and instead of LCL the container will be mentioned as FCL and only one ECTN certificate for the whole container is enough.
Did you just find out that your cargo shipment needed URN number and you could find it on the ECTN certificate? But, after receiving a validated Congo ECTN certificate, are you still confused about which number is in request?
The URN number on the ECTN Congo certificate is provided as ‘Visum Reference No’. The URN usually consist a mixture of numbers and letters and begins with exporter country code. The position of this number on Congo ECTN is on the top-right corner.
In order to get the ECTN certificate, shipment details such as the port of loading, the port of discharge and the number of containers are required. You can send the necessary documents via email to [email protected] Our Team will get back to you with draft and Invoice. As soon as you confirm the draft and the payment is clear you will get your Electronic Cargo Tracking Note validated and e-mailed to you. You can forward this certificate to relevant parties, and it is accepted by all parties.
Yes, amazingly this is the whole process of getting ECTN, BSC, BESC, BIETC, FERI certificate! So, do you still think that you need a local ECTN issuing agent in your country? Not at all. Our 24/7 operations team from Dubai and New York will assist you with your CTN request no matter where you are. Our aim is to cut the middle agents and provide prominent service at no extra cost for Exporters around the world.
In order to apply for the ECTN certificate, you must accumulate the necessary documents required by each country. You can request the list by sending us an e-mail or just a quick chat. Once you have collected all the required documents, you would normally have to fill out the application form and submit your documents via the online system of the relevant country.
However, we at ECTN Vietnam know how your time is precious for you; and we know how time-consuming and stressful it is to apply for an ECTN certificate using online system. This is why we have formed a professional team to do the hard work of filling up the application form for you. Additionally, our team will assist you at every step of the process at no extra commission.
Thus, to apply for ECTN all you need to do is observe necessary documents and email them to us. We will fill the form on your behalf and issue the draft copy together with an invoice within 24 hours. Once we will issue the invoice and draft the ECTN certificate, it is up to you when you want to pay the certificate fee and validate your certificate.
It is that easy! If you still cannot get your head around it, talk to us now!
- Copy of Original Master Bill of lading (Draft BL Original is not generated yet)
- Commercial Invoice
- DU document (Can be obtained by importer)
- Freight Invoice (Mandatory if the freight value is not mentioned in the commercial invoice)
Note: You are only obliged to obtain CNCA certificate to Angola if it is your final destination. If you are using Angola for transit shipments you are exempt from CNCA waiver in certain cases.
Authorities of all African countries that require BSC for commercial imports, also oblige ex-pats and government officials for BSC for personal belongings when the value of the consignment is higher or equal to €100.
Only occasional non-commercial nature operations exempt BSC :
• Travelers
• Parcel posts
• Express freight for documents and/or samples
• Express freight for forwarding of a FOB value less
than €100
• Forwarding and supplying for diplomatic missions
• Diplomatic bags
However, the following commodities/ Organisations, require BSC:
• Removals
• Magazines
• Importations for NGOs
• Religious organizations
• Associations, whatever their statuses are.
Q: What is a FDI?
A: FDI is the short term for Fiche de Decleration a l’importation. In English, it means the Import Declaration Form. All shipments to Ivory Coast must get an FDI certificate.
Q: Where do I get the FDI document?
A: FDI document can be applied by the Consignee from the Ivory coast Customs office.
Q: Can I get one FDI and use it for multiple purposes?
A: The FDI document is issued for each shipment/Bill of Lading separately. The FDI will contain shipment details such as weight, value, shipment term, loading and arrival port names which must match the pertaining shipment documents.
Are you asking if you can purchase a local certificate of insurance and the Import Declaration (FDI) in advance and use them on any cargo? then the answer is:
- Local certificate of Insurance- can be purchased in advance and be used for multiple cargo shipments. As long as it has not surpassed its expiry date you do not need to obtain a new one
- In the case of the Import Declaration (FDI), you must get new FDI for every cargo shipment individually.
If you were wondering, how the original ECTN certificate will be delivered, you will find the answer here.
In order to make customs clearance at the destination port, you don’t need to receive the original waiver certificate via mail carrier to your address. Instead, to make the process faster for you, our e-mailed attached PDF certificates are fully accepted. The validated ECTN/ BESC certificates will be assigned a unique registration number and submitted to the related country’s customs system. The customs authorities will be able to check and track information on the shipment using this URN. Thus, there is no need to physically deliver any document.
A Bill of Lading (BL short form) is a legal document between the shipper of freight and the carrier. BL contains details such as type, quantity, destination, terms and the timeline of the shipment being carried. A Bill of Lading also serves as a receipt of goods on board, evidence of contact of carriage and document of title to the goods.
However, you must note that a Bill of Lading is NOT:
1. a Contract between the Seller and the Buyer;
2. a Contract of Carriage between the Carrier and Shipper.
Although the layout of the document may slightly change, the content is generally accepted throughout the world of trade. Below is the copy of a BL for sample use
Unlike other ECTN / BSC certificate providers, we do not ask you to register, fill a form or submit personal details. Instead, to apply for ECTN / BSC certificates you just need to e-mail us the copies of necessary documents. We will fill the form on your behalf and issue the draft copy together with the invoice.
Moreover, in contrast to others, we do not ask you for a deposit or any upfront payments. Once we will issue the invoice and draft the ECTN certificate, it is up to you when you want to pay and validate your certificate.
Prices for the ECTN BSC certificate vary depending on the final destination country. To find out prices for your given country, talk to us now or send us an e-mail for price requests. We will get back to you within minutes
There are several types of cargo we can create a waiver certificate for, including Breakbulk, Ro/Ro, LFC, FCL, and General Cargo. Please contact us if you have a more specific kind of shipment that is not mentioned above.
Yes, ECTN Vietnam operates globally. We can create related certificate for every loading port in the globe.
ECTN Vietnam is an independent, free consulting firm to help you get the necessary CTN certificates to many African Countries. The countries you Must obtain CTN/waiver certificate for and the names of relative certificates are as follows:
- Angola CNCA
- Bangui ECTN
- Benin BESC
- Burkina Faso ECTN
- Burundi ECTN
- Cameroon BESC
- Chad ECTN
- Equatorial Guinea ECTN
- Republic of Democratic Congo FERI
- Republic of Congo ECTN
- Guinea ECTN
- Gabon BIETC
- Guinea Bissau CEE
- Liberia CTN
- Libya ECTN
- Ivory Coast BSC
- Madagascar BSC
- Mali BSC
- Niger BSC
- Nigeria ICTN
- Senegal BSC
- Sierra Leone BSC
- Togo ECTN
CARS
Motor vehicles for personal use, which normal usage is the transport of person and goods.
MINIBUS
Motor vehicles for the transport of people and/or goods of less than 10 places (seats).
MINIBUS
Motor vehicles for the transport of people and/or goods of more than 10 places(seats).
HEAVY LIFT (For example TRUCK. TRUCK TRAILER OR SEMITRAILER, AUTOBUS)
Vehicles for the transport of people and/or goods of 3,5 T or more.
UTILITY VEHICLES (For example VANS, PICK UP, LITTLE TRUCK, AMBULANCES)
Vehicles for professional use with a maximum weight of 3.5 tonnes.
Regarding the following vehicles there is no restriction, therefore FERI issuance is always allowed:
Cycles / Mopeds/Motorbikes;
Trailer / semi-trailers / Light semi-trailers;
Vehicles on the rail;
Heavy equipment vehicles with double or more axis (eg. 4×4, 6×6, 8×8 …) with special equipment
Agricultural tractors;
Civil engineering equipment;
Above is the Sierra Leone CTN document. Its number is always written at top and is always 12 digit. Sometime document name can be like ctn12312412.pdf but that is not valid. Please always consider the 12 digit number written on the actual document.
If you need to get this BSC document please contact us.Your goods cannot be cleared until a waiver document is created. Also, the importer will receive penalty, fines or seizure will occur at almost every country. Feel free to contact us for more detailed information.
Yes, As per regulations, every African country, requiring a waiver certificate for commercial cargo, demands separate ECTN/BSC/FERI certificates for different categories of items. So, if you are sending goods and vehicles on the same cargo, you must apply for separate certificates.
No, we do not provide any shipping services. This provides you as a shipping service provider an extra advantage since there is no clash of interest. This means, you can share your customer information with GET CTN to ask for a waiver document without risking to lose them!
Yes, ECTN Vietnam provides you with a draft waiver document for each country. The certificate will then be validated once all the requirements are met.
Getting ECTN or BSC waiver certificate validated varies depending on the shipment’s destination. It is our main goal to validate your waiver on the same day. However, it may take up to 5 working days on a bad day, depending on the situation.
In order to receive ECTN, BSC, BESC, Waiver certificates the Exporter/Importer must comply with the country regulations where goods are being imported. Like any other country in the world, African countries have prohibited goods that can NOT be imported into the country. These goods include:
- Live or Dead Birds including Frozen Poultry
- Food such as Pork, Beef, Birds Eggs
- Refined Vegetable Oils and Fats (Crude vegetable oil are however NOT banned from importation)
- Imports of Alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content above 45pct
- Waters, including Mineral Waters (but excluding energy or Health Drinks) and Beer and Stout
- Waste Pharmaceuticals
- Soaps and Detergents
- Gambling machines prohibited by law, including roulette
- Drugs and narcotics
- Pornographic material and other derived products
- Counterfeit Goods
- Certain Medicaments
- Certain Textile Fabrics
- Weapons and war ammunition
Please note that the above list generated combining requirements of several African countries. This may be different for your selected country. Thus, contact us via e-mail [email protected] for the detailed list of prohibited goods for your freight destination.
No. We are only providing waiver documents.
Yes you can, but it depends on the final destination country. Please contact ECTN Vietnam team for more detailed information.
No. Normally you only need to get an ECTN waiver for the final destination your cargo is heading to. For instance: if your freight is taking a route to Mali as the final stop, but the shipment is discharged at Guinea Conakry port, then you only need to obtain ECTN waiver certificate for Mali, which is called BSC.
Question:
ref .BESC – C1701xxx in file I read 4 x 40 dv but in BL I read 3 x 40 ot + 1 x 40 dv … is it an issue ?
Answer:
There is no OT container option on BESC system. Therefore, we can only mention as DV container.FXI is a Unique number that you can find on the GICHE document. The FXI number is mandatory in order to apply for the Democratic Republic of Congo FERI certificate. If you are an exporter to D.R. Congo, you can ask your importer to apply for the GICHE document.
There are two GUOT documents DI (Douane d’importation) and TI (Transport d’importation). Importer in Rep Congo has to issue both certificates.
For ECTN certificate, Only TI (Transport d’importation) has to be declared by the applicant.Goods value and freight value has to be same on guot document and the invoice.
GUOT & TI DOCUMENT SAMPLE
These are the common names for CTN to West African countries. Countries use different names to these certificates. They are pretty much the same document.
- BIC (Bordereau D’Identification Des Cargaisons)
- FERI ( Fiche Electronique de Renseignement à l’Importation)
- E-CTN ( Electronic Cargo Tracking Note)
- CTN (Cargo Tracking Note)
- BSC (Bordereau De Suivi De Cargaison)
- CNC (Conselho Nacional de Carregadores) ve CNCA
Dubai has long been a center for African shipments due to proximity and financial benefits. it is close to two largest markets that are Europe and Far East. That is why most African companies and councils choose to locate in UAE
A sample document can be found below. It may be acquired even before the container sails from the port of loading.
Note: You are only obliged to obtain a BSC certificate to Sierra Leone if it is your final destination. If you are using Sierra Leone port for transit shipments you are exempt from BSC waiver in certain cases.
Note: You are only obliged to obtain a BSC certificate to Senegal if it is your final destination. If you are using Senegal ports for transit shipments, you are exempt from the BSC waiver in certain cases.
- Bill of lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice copies (Required if the freight value is not mentioned in the commercial invoice).
- FXI Number
Note: You are only obliged to obtain a FERI certificate to D.R. Congo if it is your final destination. If you are using Matadi for transit shipments, you are exempt from the FERI waiver in certain cases.
- Scanned copy of Bill of lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice copies (Freight invoice is mandatory if the freight value is not mentioned in the commercial invoice.)
- Import Declaration (below details are required from this document)
- Tax Payers ID- starts with M
- PR number- starts with PR
- SGS number- start with SGS
Note: You are only obliged to obtain a BESC certificate to Cameroon if it is your final destination. If you are using Cameroon for transit shipments you are exempt from the BESC waiver in certain cases.
- Bill of lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice copies (Freight invoice is mandatory if the freight value is not mentioned in the commercial invoice.)
- GUOT document (Importer in Rep Congo needs to issue this document).
Note: You are only obliged to obtain an ECTN certificate to Rep Congo if it is your final destination. If you are using Rep Congo for transit shipments you are exempt from ECTN waiver in certain cases.
- Copy of Bill of lading (Master BL)
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice
- Packing List
- Customs Declaration
- Certificate of origin
- Local Certificate of Insurance (Local certificat d’assurance | the importer will get it from Ivory Coast regardless of shipment type)
- FDI document (Fiche de decleration a l’importation | the importer will get it from Ivory Coast regardless of shipment type)
Note: You are only obliged to obtain Ivory Coast BSC certificate if it is your final destination. If you are using the Ivory Coast port for transit shipments you are exempt from BSC waiver in certain cases.
- Bill of lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice copies (Freight invoice is mandatory if the freight value is not mentioned in the commercial invoice.)
Note: You are only obliged to obtain a BSC certificate to Mali if it is your final destination. If you are using Mali for transit shipments you are exempt from BSC waiver in certain cases.
- Bill of lading
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight invoice copies (Freight invoice is mandatory if the freight value is not mentioned in the commercial invoice.)
Note: You are only obliged to obtain a BSC certificate to Niger if it is your final destination. If you are using Niger for transit shipments you are exempt from BSC waiver in certain cases.
Note: You are only obliged to obtain an ECTN certificate to Burkina Faso if it is your final destination. If you are using Burkina Faso for transit purposes you are exempt from ECTN waiver in certain cases.
Note: You are only obliged to obtain an ECTN certificate to the Republic of Chad if it is your final destination. If you are using Chad for transit shipments you are exempt from ECTN waiver in certain cases.
Note: You are only obliged to obtain an ECTN certificate to Burundi if it is your final destination. If you are using Burundi for transit shipments, you are exempt from the ECTN waiver in certain cases.
Note: You are only obliged to obtain an ECTN certificate to Guinea Conakry if it is your final destination. If you are using Guinea port for transit shipments you are exempt from ECTN waiver in certain cases.
Note: You are only obliged to obtain an ECTN certificate to Togo if it is your final destination. If you are using Togo for transit shipments, you are exempt from the ECTN waiver in certain cases.
You can pay the charges through bank transfer, Credit/Debit card, PayPal or with selected local currencies.
We are issuing the charges based on the BL numbers and container type / count of your shipments.
A shipment to Burkina Faso in transit through Ghana only needs to get Burkina Faso ECTN certificate, due to the suspension of the Ghana ECTN.
As per the recent regulations set by the Ghana Revenue Authorities, the ECTN has been put on hold since 26th August 2020, and still on hold/not active. You do not need to obtain ECTN until further notice.
Yes, the commercial and non-commercial shipments by these kinds of organizations also need to obtain CTN number for their cargo.
Yes, you need to obtain ECTN numbers for Roll on Roll off (RORO) shipments to Togo. A separate ECTN number will be issued for each vehicle.
TI number is required to allow Shipper to perform loading formalities at POL.
It differs from country to country. You can obtain it but there will be payment of penalties in Ivory Coast, DRC, Benin and Togo.
It is the value assigned to goods by compilers of international merchandise trade statistics. There should be consistency with the commercial invoice unless it is not a cross trade.
The HS code stands for Harmonized System. It was developed by the WCO (World Customs Organization) as a multipurpose international product nomenclature that describes the type of good that is shipped. It is a six-digit identification code.
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“I was shipping my first container to Congo and did not know what to expect as well as what the procedure was. Fortunately with the continuous assistance and guidance from Kyle, we are able to process a hassle free CTN Certificate.”