What is the Somalia ECTN (CTN)?
The Somalia ECTN is the electronic cargo tracking note required for shipments to Somali ports since 1 February 2023. In late 2025 the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport made it mandatory for all containers arriving at any port of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Carriers now enforce it at loading: Maersk announced that the Port of Mogadishu does not handle a container under a Bill of Lading issued on or after 10 January 2026 without a valid ECTN number, with no further exemptions or extensions.
New to the ECTN? Read what an ECTN is, and CTN meaning in shipping for the cargo tracking note that 30 African and Middle East destinations ask for in one form or another.
Somalia ECTN: Mogadishu, Kismayo, Bosaso and Berbera
The Somalia ECTN covers shipments to Somali seaports, including Mogadishu, Kismayo, Bosaso and Berbera. Since 14 October 2025 the Ministry directive applies to every port of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Tell us the port of discharge when you send the Bill of Lading.
Official Somalia ECTN sources
The Somalia ECTN is required by the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
- Ecofin Agency (26 Nov 2025): Somalia makes the ECTN mandatory for all cargo at its ports
- Maersk (9 Feb 2026): mandatory ECTN at the Port of Mogadishu for Bills of Lading from 10 January 2026
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When to file the Somalia ECTN
Obtain the Somalia ECTN before the shipment arrives, ideally before the vessel leaves the port of loading: carriers check it at booking, its number has to appear on the Master Bill of Lading, and cargo without a valid ECTN is not accepted for loading or discharge.
Who files the Somalia ECTN
The shipper, the exporter or the freight forwarder at origin files the Somalia ECTN. The importer in Somalia does not file it, but cannot receive the cargo without it.
How to get the Somalia ECTN, step by step
According to the customs regulations of Somalia, 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, the commercial invoice and the freight invoice.
- ▪We check that parties, packages, weights and values match across the documents and prepare the draft with the Somalia ECTN number.
- ▪You approve the draft; the ECTN number goes on the Master Bill of Lading, not only on the house document.
- ▪The validated Somalia ECTN travels with the cargo for discharge and clearance at the Somali port.
Somalia ECTN: validity and amendments
A validated ECTN 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 Somalia ECTN?
Cargo arriving without a validated ECTN is generally not released at Mogadishu, Berbera or Kismayo: 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 Somalia ECTN 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.
Somalia ECTN: latest notices and articles
- Compliance Notice – ECTN Requirement for Somalia · 2026-02-24
Somalia ECTN questions
What is the ECTN for Somalia?
The Somalia ECTN is a compulsory Electronic Cargo Tracking Note that records loading and invoice details so authorities can verify a shipment before it arrives at Mogadishu, Berbera or Kismayo.
Which Somali ports require an ECTN?
The ECTN covers shipments to the main Somali seaports, including Mogadishu, Berbera and Kismayo. We confirm the exact requirement for your destination port.
Which documents are required for a Somalia ECTN?
The core documents are the Bill of Lading and the Commercial Invoice. Additional details may be requested during validation depending on the cargo.
When should the Somalia ECTN be issued?
Before the vessel arrives, and ideally before it leaves the port of loading: the ECTN number has to be on the Master Bill of Lading, and carriers do not accept cargo for Somalia without a valid ECTN.
What happens if cargo arrives in Somalia without an ECTN?
Since the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport directive of late 2025, cargo without a valid ECTN is not accepted for loading or discharge at Somali ports. At Mogadishu, containers under a Bill of Lading issued on or after 10 January 2026 are not handled without one.
Is the Somalia CTN the same as the Somalia ECTN?
Yes. CTN (Cargo Tracking Note) and ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note) are the same certificate for Somalia; one is issued per Bill of Lading.
What changed for the Somalia ECTN on 14 October 2025?
A directive of the Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport (Ref. XW/WDGB/89/09/2025) made a valid ECTN mandatory for every container bound for any port of the Federal Republic of Somalia from 14 October 2025. Cargo without one is not accepted for loading or discharge.