Central African Republic ECTN
ECTN is a mandatory document for the Central African Republic
We also have many exporters regularly obtaining ECTN for the Central African Republic from us. Our exceptional team is ready to support exporters and freight forwarders in 
United States 24/7. Contact us now for a Free Consultation.
Here are some of the companies we work with
We’ve provided the CTN certificate for over 20 countries to clients worldwide since 2005.
What is ECTN?
ECTN is a mandatory loading document for all shipments to the Central African Republic. It is also known as BSC. It was determined as a regulation in 2000 by the Bangui Customs Officials. Failing to present the ECTN document will lead to severe consequences and a hefty fine.
According to this law, every cargo purchased from abroad and transported for commercial, business, in some cases, diplomatic and personal purposes require a Loading Certificate called ECTN – Electronic Cargo Tracking Note.
The shipper or the freight forwarder is responsible for acquiring the ECTN waiver certificate from the authorized representative.
- Bill of Lading – A draft copy can be used for the draft.
- Commercial Invoice
- Freight Invoice – It is necessary if the freight cost isn’t on the commercial invoice.
- Export Customs Declaration – Details have to be the same across all documents if it is not cross-trade.
- Shipments that arrive without ECTN or with false information on the ECTN get charged twice the certificate cost plus the regulation charge determined by the Central African Republic National Port Officials.
- According to the Central African Republic Customs regulations, all cargo to the Central African Republic must be accompanied by an ECTN certificate.
- The ECTN certificate must be validated five days before the vessel arrives at the latest.
FAQs related to the Central African Republic ECTN Certificate
ECTN is another form of waiver document, and it stands for Electronic Cargo Tracking Note. You may have heard about Bordereau de Suivi Cargaison (BSC) or Loading Certificate, which is the same as the ECTN document.
These waiver certificates are official marine documents containing information about the cargo and its movement between ports. Certain African countries require this from shippers intending 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. The local Customs will block cargoes not covered by a valid ECTN until the presentation of the final ECTN, and an 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 discharge port. The time frame and duration devoted to getting the certificate validated vary immensely. Your shipment will be penalized, and ECTN will not be issued if you miss the certification deadline.
SAMPLE ECTN Certificate
No, ECTN is unique and reserved only for one shipment. Every shipment must have a validated ECTN number.
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.
No. CAR ECTN number doesn’t have to be mentioned on the Bill of Lading.
General FAQs
GetCTN is an independent consulting firm that helps clients obtain CTN certificates in many African countries. It is an international company with offices in the USA, UK, and UAE, and its sole business is CTN certification; it is not a freight forwarder, importer, or exporter.
The hard copy of the certificate isn’t necessary at all. Instead, the whole process is completed online.
A bill of lading (BL or BoL) is a legal document issued by a carrier to a shipper that details the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being carried.
A commercial invoice is a required document for the export and import clearance process. It is sometimes used for foreign exchange purposes. In the buyer’s country, it is the document their customs officials use to assess import duties and taxes.