Correcting Freight Term Contradictions for a Togo BESC (ECTN) Certificate

Aligning Payment Terms Between the Ocean Bill of Lading and the Invoice for Cargo to Lomé

Contradictory freight payment terms between an ocean Bill of Lading and a commercial invoice trigger rejections from Togolese tracking authorities. This case study details how our pre-screening audit caught a Prepaid versus Collect mismatch on a four-container shipment of plastic granules travelling from Port Klang to Lomé, and how we guided the client through the document adjustments needed to secure a validated Togo BESC (ECTN).

We recently managed the cargo tracking documentation for four 40-foot High Cube containers of plastic raw granules departing from Port Klang, Malaysia, and bound for the Port of Lomé, Togo. Under Togolese customs and maritime regulations, all sea imports require a validated Togo BESC (ECTN) before vessel arrival and port discharge.

To initiate the BESC registration, the exporter submitted their standard trade file: the ocean Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, freight invoice, packing list and Malaysian export customs declaration. During draft creation, our compliance operator identified a fundamental contradiction in the payment terms. The commercial invoice cited FOB terms indicating "Freight Collect", whereas the ocean Bill of Lading was stamped "Freight Prepaid", supported by a separate freight invoice. Togolese customs validation systems cross-check payment terms across all files, and submitting contradictory freight terms results in system rejections and clearance holds at Lomé.

Catching the oversight early, our compliance operator halted the submission, contacted the exporter and asked them to adjust the commercial invoice so that it accurately reflected the prepaid ocean freight. The client promptly issued a revised commercial invoice aligned with the ocean Bill of Lading and the freight receipt. Our operator verified data consistency across every file, finalised the BESC draft and submitted the application. The official Togo BESC (ECTN) certificate was approved without delay, ensuring a smooth vessel discharge and fast customs clearance in Lomé.