Overview
The BESC — Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons — is the electronic cargo tracking note required for sea shipments to Benin, which discharge at Cotonou. It ties the shipper, consignee, cargo and freight values on your Bill of Lading to a single reference that customs can reconcile before the cargo is worked. Filing deadline: Before discharge at Cotonou; file as soon as the Bill of Lading is issued. Cargo that only passes through on its way to a landlocked neighbour is treated as in-transit and still needs a certificate, so the routing has to be documented from the start.
Discharge ports
Required documents
Official BESC Document Sample
Verify the layout, stamps, and BESC customs format of a validated Benin loading certificate:
Application process
- 1SubmitSend your Bill of Lading and Commercial Invoice, with the Freight Invoice if freight is not shown on the commercial invoice.
- 2Draft & invoiceWe prepare a draft certificate and a fixed-price invoice within 1 hour on average.
- 3ApproveYou review the draft and confirm every detail before anything is filed.
- 4PaymentThe fixed-price invoice is settled so the file can go forward for validation.
- 5ValidateThe certificate is validated and the final BESC number is confirmed.
Timeline
| Step | Duration |
|---|---|
| Submit documents | Your action |
| Draft & invoice | 1 hour on average |
| Approve draft | Your action |
| Payment | Your action |
Special rules & HS codes
Rule 1
The BESC number can be supplied before validation.
Rule 2
No key information for Benin.
Rule 3
Printing the BESC number on the Master Bill of Lading is not required by the authority, but individual carriers may ask for it.
Official sources
Official Benin BESC sources
The Benin BESC is required by Order No. 077/MIT/DC/SGM/PAC/CTJ/SA of 10 August 2016.
accessed
Top 3 causes of Benin BESC rejection
- BESC number not indicated on the Bill of Lading.
- Commercial invoice does not state the Freight amount separately.
- Container seal number does not match across the BL and Certificate.
Specific questions: Benin
Is the Benin ECTN the same as the Benin BESC certificate?
Yes. Searches for the Benin ECTN mean the BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons), the name printed on the Benin BESC certificate. One certificate covers one Bill of Lading.
What is the legal basis of the Benin BESC?
Order No. 077/MIT/DC/SGM/PAC/CTJ/SA of 10 August 2016, which introduced the BESC in Benin, and Customs service note No. 4021/DGDDI/DLRI of 22 November 2017, which made it a condition for customs declarations at Cotonou-Port.
Latest updates: Benin
Benin's National Shippers Council mandates Electronic Cargo Tracking Notes for all seaborne cargo to Port of Cotonou, with penalties for non-compliance.
Frequently asked questions
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