BSC Documentation Guide
Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons
What does BSC stand for?
BSC stands for Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons.
What is BSC?
The cargo tracking note required by Senegal, Ivory Coast and Madagascar. It lets destination customs reconcile shipper, consignee and invoice values against the Bill of Lading ahead of a filing deadline that depends on the destination — some require it before the vessel departs, others before it arrives.
Who regulates BSC?
The BSC certificate is issued and validated by each destination’s own body (COSEC in Senegal, OIC in Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar Customs through GasyNet).
Which countries require BSC?
These destinations require the BSC certificate: Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Madagascar.
Official sources
Official Senegal BSC sources
The Senegal BSC was created by Interministerial Order No. 04350 of 26 May 2008 and is validated by the Senegalese Shippers’ Council (COSEC).
- Journal Officiel de la République du Sénégal: order on the cargo tracking note (BSC)
- Conseil Sénégalais des Chargeurs (COSEC)
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Top 3 causes of Senegal BSC rejection
- Commercial Invoice value does not match the insurance certificates.
- Bill of Lading lacks the mandatory BSC number annotation.
- Shipper and consignee addresses do not match corporate registry records.
Case study: Senegal BSC after vessel arrival at Dakar: a real case
Official BSC Document Sample
Verify the layout, stamps, and BSC customs format of a validated Senegal loading certificate:
Official Ivory Coast BSC sources
The Ivory Coast BSC is run by the Office Ivoirien des Chargeurs (OIC).
- AIP (12 Sep 2025): OIC on the BSC, run electronically since 2005
- OIC BSC portal: imports and exports, Abidjan and San Pedro
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Top 3 causes of Ivory Coast BSC rejection
- Missing FDI (Fiche de Déclaration à l'Importation) document or number mismatch.
- Commercial Invoice lacks exporter's official stamp or signature.
- Freight invoice value does not match shipping line quotes.
Case study: Ivory Coast BSC (ECTN) Document Amendment Process: An Alexandria–Abidjan Case Study
Official Madagascar BSC sources
The BSC is required by Madagascar Customs (Direction Générale des Douanes) and run on GasyNet’s system.
- Madagascar Customs: clearance and the BSC
- Madagascar trade portal (PIC): how to import to Madagascar
- GasyNet BSC online system: bscmg.sgs.com
- Maersk: Madagascar import procedures (BSC since 1 April 2007)
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Top 3 causes of Madagascar BSC refusals
- The shipper or consignee is not registered on GasyNet’s system, so no draft can be issued.
- Weights, package counts or descriptions differ between the Bill of Lading and the packing list.
- Incomplete invoice information or a missing required document: GasyNet’s admissibility check refuses the BSC.
Case study: Mismatched container seal numbers on a Madagascar BSC: a Casablanca–Tamatave case
Illustrative layout (not a real document)
A standard verified BSC contains key cargo parameters that customs systems scan: