What is CTN?
A Cargo Tracking Note, or CTN document, is an official loading certificate required by numerous African countries. The CTN certificate contains detailed information about cargo and its movement between ports, including transit periods.
The CTN certificate must accompany any shipment to countries that demand it before cargo arrives at the port. It enables destination port authorities to have all necessary information before shipments arrive, facilitating customs clearance.
CTN Coverage
The Cargo Tracking Note or Advanced Shipment Information (CTN/ASHI) is required by over 26 countries in West and Central Africa. The document is also known in French as BESC: Bordereau électronique de Suivi de Cargaison.
Countries requiring CTN include Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Togo, and Yemen.
Why is the CTN Certificate Important?
Port authorities state that the CTN aims to achieve "substantial reduction of risk, real-time monitoring" and reliable assessments of import goods, shippers, and importers.
Many African countries require exporters to notify customs authorities about shipment details before arrival. The CTN system facilitates this requirement.
The certificate allows marine customs authorities access to information about exporters/importers, shipping routes and methods, commodity type and value, freight value, and consignment details.
It is very important that exporters submit this document before cargo arrives at its final destination. The loading document provides security assurance and allows customs authorities to trace shipments before port discharge.
Shipping or arrival without a CTN certificate may result in high fines at the destination port. Additionally, the system enables each country to maintain statistical data for future logistical monitoring.