What is the Gabon BIETC certificate (Gabon ECTN)?
The Gabon BIETC is the electronic cargo identification and traceability note of the Conseil Gabonais des Chargeurs (CGC), the public body founded in 1971 under Gabon’s Ministry of Transport. It is governed by Ordinance No. 009/PR/2014 of 20 August 2014, with issuing rules set by Order No. 00188/MT. It is issued per Bill of Lading through CGC-appointed representatives on the bietc.cgcworld.com platform. Separate BIETC procedures exist for sea, air and road cargo. The BIETC is not the same as a CoC (certificate of conformity), which concerns product standards.
The BIETC is Gabon’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 Gabon BIETC
One instrument, several names. For Gabon the filing is the BIETC — Bordereau d’Identification Électronique de Traçabilité des Cargaisons. The same certificate is also referred to as ECTN (Electronic 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.
Gabon ECTN: Libreville (Owendo) and Port-Gentil
The Gabon BIETC covers cargo for Libreville (the port of Owendo) and Port-Gentil, and any other entry point in Gabon. It is issued per Bill of Lading; air and road cargo have their own BIETC procedures.
Official Gabon BIETC sources
The Gabon BIETC is issued through the Conseil Gabonais des Chargeurs (CGC) under Ordinance No. 009/PR/2014.
- Conseil Gabonais des Chargeurs: BIETC maritime (legal basis, prior and final visa, deadlines)
- Turkish Embassy Trade Office, Libreville (May 2026): Gabon BIETC FAQ
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Gabon BIETC deadlines: prior and final visa
Obtain the prior visa before loading: it is the authorisation to load. After the vessel sails, the final visa must follow within 5 calendar days for shipments from Africa, 10 from Europe and 15 from Asia or the Americas. Missing deadlines, loading without authorisation and false declarations are offences under the CGC rules.
Who files the Gabon BIETC certificate
The shipper, the exporter or the freight forwarder files the Gabon BIETC through the CGC representative for the country of shipment, using a declarant account on bietc.cgcworld.com.
How to get the Gabon BIETC, step by step
According to the customs regulations of Gabon, 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, the freight invoice, the packing list and the export customs declaration (EX1); for vehicles, the registration document (carte grise).
- ▪We prepare the BIETC through the CGC representative for the country of shipment and check that the data match across the documents.
- ▪The CGC representative gives the prior visa (accord préalable), which authorises loading.
- ▪After the vessel sails, the final visa must be obtained within 5 days (Africa), 10 days (Europe) or 15 days (Asia, Americas).
Gabon BIETC: validity and amendments
A validated BIETC 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 Gabon BIETC?
Cargo arriving without a validated BIETC is generally not released at Libreville or Port Gentil: 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 a Gabon BIETC 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.
Gabon BIETC: latest notices and articles
- Gabon BIETC Important Update · 2026-02-24
Gabon BIETC certificate questions
What is the BIETC certificate for Gabon?
The BIETC (Bordereau d’Identification Électronique de Traçabilité des Cargaisons) is Gabon’s compulsory cargo tracking certificate, issued through the Conseil Gabonais des Chargeurs (CGC), for shipments to Libreville (Owendo) and Port-Gentil.
Is BIETC the same as ECTN or BESC?
Yes. BIETC is Gabon’s national name for the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note. It performs the same function as the ECTN and BESC used by other African countries; searches for the Gabon ECTN mean the BIETC.
Which documents are needed for a Gabon BIETC?
The Bill of Lading, the commercial invoice, the freight invoice, the packing list and the export customs declaration (EX1); for vehicles, the registration document. Our desk confirms any additional details required for your shipment.
When must the Gabon BIETC be issued?
The prior visa is needed before loading. After departure, the final visa must be obtained within 5 days for shipments from Africa, 10 days from Europe and 15 days from Asia or the Americas.
What happens if cargo arrives in Gabon without a BIETC?
The cargo cannot be cleared and may be returned to origin or regularised; according to the Turkish Embassy’s trade office in Libreville, penalties of up to USD 2,500 can apply, plus regularisation costs set by customs.
What is the legal basis of the Gabon BIETC certificate?
Ordinance No. 009/PR/2014 of 20 August 2014 on the supervision of freight traffic, with the issuing rules in Order No. 00188/MT. The certificate is issued through the Conseil Gabonais des Chargeurs (CGC).
Is the Gabon BIETC the same as a CoC?
No. The BIETC tracks the shipment (Bill of Lading, port of loading, carrier, cargo). A CoC (certificate of conformity) shows that products meet Gabonese technical standards; it is a separate requirement for some goods.