What is the Cameroon BESC certificate (Cameroon ECTN)?
The Cameroon BESC is the electronic cargo tracking note of the Cameroon National Shippers’ Council (CNCC) for cargo discharged at Douala and Kribi, required since 11 July 2006 under Decree No. 00557/MINT. It must be validated at least 48 hours before the vessel arrives, and the BESC number only exists once the certificate is validated. A transit BESC became mandatory on 1 January 2026; on 15 June 2026 the CNCC suspended it, until further notice, for transit cargo on the Douala–N’Djamena and Douala–Bangui corridors. Since 1 May 2025, RoRo vehicle shipments also need FIMEX registration or a Special Import Authorization before the BESC is released.
New to the BESC? Read BESC meaning, and CTN meaning in shipping for the cargo tracking note that 30 African and Middle East destinations ask for in one form or another.
Other names for the Cameroon BESC
One instrument, several names. For Cameroon the filing is the BESC — Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons. The same certificate is also referred to as ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), and a request for one is a request for the other. If your importer or your carrier has asked for a name that is not on this page, send it to us with the Bill of Lading and we will confirm which filing they mean.
Cameroon BESC: Douala, Kribi and transit
The Cameroon BESC covers cargo discharged at Douala and Kribi. Cameroon is also the sea gateway for Chad and the Central African Republic; the Cameroonian BESC for transit goods, introduced on 1 January 2026, has been suspended since 15 June 2026, until further notice, for cargo on the Douala–N’Djamena and Douala–Bangui corridors, but cargo for N’Djamena or Bangui still needs the Chad or Central African Republic certificate.
Official Cameroon BESC sources
The Cameroon BESC is issued under the Cameroon National Shippers’ Council (CNCC).
- Cameroon Tribune (18 Jun 2026): CNCC suspends the BESC for transit goods (communiqué of 15 June 2026)
- Journal du Cameroun (22 Sep 2026): export BESC late-submission window extended to 15 days
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Cameroon BESC: the 48-hour rule
The Cameroon BESC must be validated, not just submitted, at least 48 hours before the vessel arrives at the port of discharge. Validation takes time on the CNCC platform and the clock runs on the vessel’s ETA, so file as soon as the booking is confirmed; a late certificate is penalised by the CNCC at the port of arrival.
Who files the Cameroon BESC
The shipper, the exporter or the freight forwarder at the port of loading files the Cameroon BESC. The importer in Cameroon does not file it, but pays the penalty at Douala or Kribi if it is missing or late.
How to get the Cameroon BESC, step by step
According to the customs regulations of Cameroon, every cargo shipment purchased from abroad and transported for commercial, business, diplomatic, or personal purposes requires a validated Loading Certificate:
- ▪Send the Bill of Lading, the commercial invoice, the freight invoice if freight is not on the invoice, and the vessel’s ETA at Douala or Kribi.
- ▪We check that parties, packages, weights, values and the freight amount match across the documents and submit the BESC to the CNCC platform.
- ▪You approve the draft quickly: validation must be complete at least 48 hours before the vessel arrives, and the BESC number is issued at validation.
- ▪The validated Cameroon BESC travels with the cargo for discharge and clearance at Douala or Kribi.
Cameroon BESC: validity and amendments
A validated BESC is issued against one shipment: one Bill of Lading, one vessel, one voyage, one consignee. It does not carry over to your next shipment and it carries no renewal date. If the shipment changes, the certificate has to change with it — and what can be amended after validation, and at what cost, is set by the destination authority. Corrections to the draft before filing cost nothing, which is why we send you the draft first.
What happens without a valid Cameroon BESC?
Cargo arriving without a validated BESC is generally not released at Douala or Kribi: customs clearance delays, storage and demurrage accruing daily, and regulatory fines until a valid certificate is presented. The demurrage is often the larger of the two numbers, and it is the one that grows while the paperwork is corrected.
What a Cameroon BESC costs
Two lines, quoted separately. The first is the statutory charge the destination authority sets for registering the certificate — it belongs to the authority, not to us, and it varies by destination and shipment profile. The second is our service fee for preparing the file, checking it against the published requirements, filing it and handling any query. Neither is a percentage of your cargo value. Both are fixed and shown before anything is filed, so the invoice you approve is the invoice you pay.
Cameroon BESC: latest notices and articles
Cameroon BESC questions
What is the BESC certificate for Cameroon?
The BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons) is Cameroon's compulsory Electronic Cargo Tracking Note, issued under the CNCC, for all sea shipments to Douala and Kribi.
Is the Cameroon ECTN the same as the Cameroon BESC?
Yes. BESC is Cameroon's national name for the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN). The two terms refer to the same mandatory certificate.
Why does the BESC need the freight amount?
The CNCC validates the declared freight value as part of the BESC. If freight is not stated on the Commercial Invoice, a separate Freight Invoice is required.
What are the penalties for a missing BESC in Cameroon?
A BESC that is missing or validated less than 48 hours before arrival is penalised by the CNCC at the port of arrival, and the penalty is payable in Douala or Kribi before the cargo is released, on top of storage and demurrage.
When should the Cameroon BESC be issued?
It must be validated at least 48 hours before the vessel arrives at the port of discharge. Filing before the vessel leaves the port of loading leaves time for validation.
Does transit cargo through Cameroon need a Cameroon BESC?
Not on the two corridors to Chad and the Central African Republic. A transit BESC became mandatory on 1 January 2026, but on 15 June 2026 the CNCC suspended it, until further notice, for cargo on the Douala–N’Djamena and Douala–Bangui corridors. Cargo for Chad or the Central African Republic still needs the destination country’s certificate.
What changed for the export BESC in September 2026?
Since 17 September 2026 the CNCC accepts a late export BESC up to 15 days after the vessel departs, instead of 10. Final validation of the provisional BESC still requires the original Bill of Lading; drafts are no longer accepted.
What do RoRo vehicle shipments to Cameroon need?
Since 1 May 2025, proof of registration in the Importers/Exporters File (FIMEX) or a Special Import Authorization. The draft BESC can be started at the port of loading, but the validated BESC is released only once that document is provided.