What is a Cargo Tracking Note (CTN)?
A Cargo Tracking Note is an official loading document required by several African countries. The CTN certificate contains detailed information about cargo and its movement between ports, along with transit periods. It must accompany shipments to the countries that require it, and the exact cut-off depends on the destination — some require it before the vessel departs, others before it arrives. Filing in time is what lets the destination authorities reach the clearance information.
What does an ECTN agent do?
An ECTN agent prepares and submits the certificate for the shipper or forwarder: it checks the Bill of Lading, the invoices and the export declaration against the destination's rules, issues the draft for approval and follows the file until it is validated. Whether you need one depends on the destination, because each authority decides who may file.
Who can file an ECTN: the rules by country
| Destination | Who files, according to the authority |
|---|---|
| Burkina Faso | Only forwarders can create the ECTN, in the Conseil Burkinabè des Chargeurs' own application. The council publishes the list of agents registered to sell the ECTN against the official fee; a freely chosen filing agent works outside the ECTN system, with its fee agreed separately. |
| Cameroon | The shipper or a service provider opens an account on the shippers' council's platform, for its own company only. A shipper without its own account uses one of the intermediaries approved by the council. |
| Kenya | The exporter files from its own account on the Kenya Revenue Authority's platform; a forwarder files as a sub-user of that account. |
| DR Congo | Since 1 March 2023 the FERI and the Attestation de Destination are subscribed with an OGEFREM-approved agent (mandataire) at the place of loading; OGEFREM's Antwerp office covers zones without one. |
| Madagascar | The BSC is created on GasyNet's system, where both the shipper and the consignee must be registered. |
| Egypt | The Egyptian importer registers the ACID on NAFEZA; the exporter must be registered on CargoX to send the documents. |
How to check who may file for your destination
- Look at the authority's own list where it publishes one: the Conseil Burkinabè des Chargeurs lists its registered agents, the Cameroon shippers' council lists its approved intermediaries, and OGEFREM lists its approved mandataires.
- Ask for the draft before you pay, and compare it line by line with your Bill of Lading.
- Check the number after validation where the authority offers a check, such as the Kenya ACD verification on the Kenya Revenue Authority's platform.
Which Countries Receive Our Services?
- Indonesia CTN Certificate
- Vietnam Cargo Tracking Note
- China ECTN Certificate
- Pakistan CTN Waiver
- South Africa CTN Certificate
- Kenya ACD
- Belgium Cargo Tracking Note Waiver
- Netherlands CTN Certificate
- Germany ECTN Waiver
- France Cargo Tracking Note
- Bulgaria Loading Certificate
- Russia Cargo Tracking Note Certificate
- Norway BSC Certificate
- Singapore Cargo Tracking Waiver
- MENA Area Cargo Tracking Note Service
- Europe Cargo Tracking Note Service and Certificates
Key Service Features
No Local Office Required
Since CTN applications are completed online with no physical contact needed, customers can access services from anywhere globally.
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Official sources
Burkina Faso ECTN sources
The Burkina Faso ECTN rules on this page come from the official notices of the Conseil Burkinabè des Chargeurs (CBC).
- CBC: joint order N°2009-0012/MT/MEF and notices N°2013/071 and N°2023-0026 (URN on the Bill of Lading)
- CBC: Burkina Faso ECTN agents and the CBC ECTN application
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Top 3 causes of Burkina Faso ECTN rejection
- ECTN number not mentioned on the BL.
- Commercial invoice is not translated into French (mandatory for validation).
- Discrepancy in net vs. gross weight on the packing list.
Official ECTN Document Sample
Verify the layout, stamps, and ECTN customs format of a validated Burkina Faso loading 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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Top 3 causes of Cameroon BESC rejection
- Missing or blurred SGS certification stamp on the Commercial Invoice.
- Missing freight breakdown (sea freight value must be clearly declared separately).
- Incorrect HS Code (must be 4 to 8 digits matching Cameroon customs tariffs).
Case study: Cameroon BESC: The 48-Hour Rule and What a One-Day Delay Really Costs
Official Kenya ACD sources
The Kenya ACD is run by the Kenya Revenue Authority (Commissioner for Customs and Border Control).
- KRA public notice: Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) Platform for Containerized Cargo (14 July 2026)
- KRA ACD platform and FAQ: acd.kra.go.ke
- KRA ACD verification by Bill of Lading number: acd.kra.go.ke/verify
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Top 3 causes of Kenya ACD problems
- One of the four documents is missing: the KRA platform generates the code only after the draft Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, freight invoice and export declaration are all uploaded.
- Parties, cargo, weights or values differ between the documents; the shipper, consignee, HS codes and freight amount must read the same on all four.
- The ACD code is not endorsed on the Bill of Lading before the shipment proceeds to Kenya.