What is Ghana SPN?
The Ghana SPN (Smart Port Note) is Ghana’s cargo tracking document for sea freight discharged at Tema and Takoradi; it is also searched as the Ghana CTN or Ghana ECTN. It lets the authorities reconcile the shipper, consignee, cargo description and declared invoice values against the Bill of Lading before the cargo arrives. The shipper or freight forwarder files it at origin; our desk confirms the current requirement and timing for your shipment before you file.
Other names for the Ghana SPN
One instrument, several names. For Ghana the filing is the SPN — SPN. The same certificate is also referred to as ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), CTN (Cargo Tracking Note), SPN, and 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.
Which ports need the Ghana SPN?
The Ghana SPN concerns sea freight discharged at Tema and Takoradi. Tell us the port of discharge and the final destination when you send the Bill of Lading; cargo that continues to Burkina Faso also needs the Burkina Faso ECTN.
When must the Ghana SPN be issued?
Send the Bill of Lading as soon as the booking is confirmed: once the documents are complete, the draft comes back in about an hour, and our desk confirms the current filing timing for Ghana with you before anything is submitted.
Who files the Ghana SPN?
The shipper, the exporter or the freight forwarder at the port of loading files the Ghana SPN. The consignee in Ghana does not file it.
How to get the Ghana SPN, step by step
According to the customs regulations of Ghana, 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 and the export customs declaration.
- ▪Our desk confirms the current requirement and timing for your shipment to Tema or Takoradi.
- ▪A senior officer cross-checks every field against the Bill of Lading and the invoices; the draft comes back in about an hour once the documents are complete.
- ▪Once validated, the SPN travels with the shipment for clearance at Tema or Takoradi.
Ghana SPN: validity and amendments
A validated SPN 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 Ghana SPN?
Cargo arriving without a validated SPN is generally not released at Tema or Takoradi: 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 Ghana SPN 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.
Ghana SPN: latest notices and articles
- Ghana Cargo Tracking Note: All You Need to Know · 2026-02-24
Ghana SPN questions
What is the Ghana SPN?
The SPN (Smart Port Note) is Ghana’s cargo tracking document for sea freight discharged at Tema and Takoradi. It records loading and invoice details so the authorities can verify the shipment before it arrives.
Which documents are required to obtain the SPN?
The core documents are: Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Freight Invoice, and Export Customs Declaration. Additional destination-specific paperwork may be requested during validation — our desk confirms the exact list for your shipment.
When must the SPN be issued?
Our desk confirms the current filing timing for Ghana when you send the Bill of Lading. Send it as soon as the booking is confirmed; the draft comes back in about an hour once the documents are complete.
What happens if cargo arrives without a valid SPN?
Where an SPN is required, cargo without a valid one is held at the port until it is regularised, with storage and demurrage running in the meantime. Confirm the requirement for your shipment with our desk or your importer before the vessel sails.
Can a validated SPN be modified after issuance?
Once validated, changes are generally restricted. Ensure all weights, values and party details match your cargo manifests and Bill of Lading exactly before submitting.
Is the Ghana CTN or Ghana ECTN the same as the Ghana SPN?
Yes. Searches for the Ghana CTN (Cargo Tracking Note) or the Ghana ECTN mean the same document, which Ghana calls the SPN (Smart Port Note).