What is the Gambia ECTN?
The Gambia ECTN, also searched as the Gambia CTN or the Gambia ECTN certificate, is a cargo tracking note that records the shipper, the consignee, the cargo and the freight before the vessel reaches Banjul, so that the cargo data can be checked before arrival. It was first introduced on 15 May 2023 by the Government of The Gambia with Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions (GTMS); shipping lines announced that cargo without a reference number would not be discharged. In 2026 the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment reintroduced the Gambia ECTN after Cabinet approval, with effect from 5 January 2026. According to the April 2026 statement on the scheme, it covers imported containers, RoRo vehicles and bulk cargo as well as export containers, with essential bulk commodities such as fuel, rice, cement and sugar exempted.
The CTN is Gambia’s form of the cargo tracking note; CTN meaning in shipping explains the document 30 African and Middle East destinations ask for in one form or another.
Other names for the Gambia CTN
One instrument, several names. For Gambia the filing is the CTN — Cargo Tracking Note. The same certificate is also referred to as CTN (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.
Gambia ECTN: Port of Banjul
The Gambia ECTN concerns cargo discharged at the Port of Banjul, the country’s only seaport, including containers, RoRo vehicles and bulk cargo. Tell us the final destination when you send the Bill of Lading: the 2023 scheme also covered cargo moving on through Banjul to Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Mali.
Gambia ECTN sources
The Gambia ECTN dates on this page come from a shipping line notice and Gambian press reports of the Ministry of Trade notification.
- Maersk: implementation of CTN for Gambia import and export shipments (15 May 2023)
- The Point: Ministry of Trade notice of 26 February 2026 on the reintroduction of the ECTN
- The Point: statement on the ECTN concession and its scope (9 April 2026)
accessed
Gambia ECTN: before the vessel reaches Banjul
The Gambia ECTN is a pre-arrival filing: the number has to be in place before the vessel reaches Banjul, and agents ask for validation several days before arrival. Open the Gambia ECTN file as soon as the booking is confirmed and the draft Bill of Lading is available.
Who files the Gambia ECTN
The shipper, the exporter or the freight forwarder at the port of loading files the Gambia ECTN; the consignee in The Gambia provides its details for the certificate.
How to get the Gambia CTN, step by step
According to the customs regulations of Gambia, 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 (a draft opens the file), the commercial invoice, the freight invoice if freight is not on the invoice, and the export customs declaration.
- ▪We check that the shipper, consignee, cargo description, freight and values match across the documents and prepare the draft Gambia ECTN.
- ▪You approve the draft; the Gambia ECTN is validated against the final Bill of Lading.
- ▪The Gambia ECTN number is passed to the shipping line before the vessel reaches Banjul, so that the cargo can be discharged.
Gambia CTN: validity and amendments
A validated CTN 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 Gambia CTN?
Cargo arriving without a validated CTN is generally not released at Banjul: 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 the Gambia CTN 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.
Gambia ECTN certificate questions
What is the Gambia ECTN?
The Gambia ECTN, also called the Gambia CTN, is the electronic cargo tracking note for shipments through the Port of Banjul. It records the cargo, the parties and the freight before arrival. It was introduced on 15 May 2023 and reintroduced with effect from 5 January 2026.
Which documents are required for a Gambia ECTN certificate?
The Bill of Lading, the commercial invoice, the freight invoice (if freight is not shown on the commercial invoice) and the export customs declaration.
When must the Gambia ECTN be issued?
Before the vessel arrives at Banjul. Agents ask for validation several days before arrival, so file the Gambia ECTN as soon as the booking is confirmed.
What happens if cargo arrives in Banjul without a Gambia ECTN?
Shipping lines announced in 2023 that cargo without a Gambia ECTN reference number would not be discharged; cargo held at Banjul also runs up storage and demurrage until it is regularised.
Can a validated Gambia ECTN be modified?
Once validated, changes are restricted. Make sure weights, values and party details match the Bill of Lading before you approve the draft.
Is the Gambia CTN the same as the Gambia ECTN?
Yes. Gambia CTN, Gambia ECTN and Gambia ECTN certificate are names for the same cargo tracking note for shipments to Banjul.
Who runs the Gambia ECTN?
The Government of The Gambia runs it through a concession with Global Tracking and Maritime Solutions (GTMS); the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment announced its 2026 reintroduction.