What is the Senegal BSC (BSC Senegal, Senegal ECTN)?
The Senegal BSC is the cargo tracking note created by Interministerial Order No. 04350 of 26 May 2008. The shipper or its agent has it validated by the Senegalese Shippers’ Council (COSEC), and every Bill of Lading must be covered by at least one BSC. It applies to goods imported by sea, mainly through the Port of Dakar; exports are exempt. A customs declaration in Senegal is not admissible without a valid BSC.
The BSC is Senegal’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 Senegal BSC
One instrument, several names. For Senegal the filing is the BSC — Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons. The same certificate is also referred to as ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), and BESC (Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons), 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.
Senegal BSC: the Port of Dakar
The Senegal BSC covers goods imported by sea into Senegal, mainly through the Port of Dakar. Every Bill of Lading needs at least one BSC. Exports from Senegal are exempt.
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)
accessed
When to file the Senegal BSC
File the Senegal BSC as soon as the booking is confirmed, before the vessel sails: the BSC number must be printed on the Master Bill of Lading, and the dated Master Bill of Lading is required before COSEC validates the certificate. A missing number on the Master Bill of Lading is the most common reason a Senegal file comes back.
Who files the Senegal BSC (COSEC)
The shipper or its agent (the exporter or the freight forwarder) has the Senegal BSC validated by COSEC. Carriers that load cargo for Senegal without a BSC face a penalty under the 2008 order.
How to get the Senegal BSC, step by step
According to the customs regulations of Senegal, 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 is enough to start), the commercial invoice with the Incoterm, reference and date, and the freight invoice if freight is not on the commercial invoice.
- ▪We prepare the draft; the BSC number on the draft is the one that goes on the Master Bill of Lading.
- ▪Pass the BSC number to your shipping line so it is printed on the Master Bill of Lading: for Senegal this is mandatory.
- ▪Send the dated Master Bill of Lading; COSEC then validates the BSC.
Senegal BSC: validity and amendments
A validated BSC 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 Senegal BSC?
Cargo arriving without a validated BSC is generally not released at Dakar: 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 Senegal BSC 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. How ECTN charges are calculated.
Senegal BSC: latest notices and articles
- Senegal BSC after vessel arrival at Dakar: a real case · 2026-08-01
- 5 Easy Steps to Get Senegal BSC Certificate · 2026-02-24
- Warning: Ship Without Senegal BSC at Your Risk · 2026-02-24
Is the Senegal BSC Mandatory?
Yes. Every Bill of Lading of goods imported into Senegal by sea needs a BSC, and without one the customs declaration is not accepted. The requirement dates from Interministerial Order No. 04350 of 26 May 2008, and COSEC validates the certificate. Searches for the Senegal ECTN mean this same document. Exports from Senegal are exempt.
How Long Does the Senegal BSC Take?
The Master Bill of Lading sets the order here. Work starts when the draft Bill of Lading, the commercial invoice and, where needed, the freight invoice reach us. We prepare the draft, the BSC number goes to the shipping line, the line prints it on the Master Bill of Lading, you send the dated Master Bill of Lading, and COSEC validates. Filing happens before the vessel sails, because the number has to be with the line before the Master Bill of Lading is printed.
Two things hold this up most: a Master Bill of Lading printed without the BSC number, which is the most common reason a Senegal file comes back, and a dated Master Bill of Lading that has not arrived, since a draft alone will not close the file. The invoice also has to carry the Incoterm, reference and date from the start.
Transit Through Dakar: Does Mali Cargo Need a Senegal BSC?
Dakar is one of the coastal ports where cargo for Mali is discharged. Any Bill of Lading with final destination Mali needs the Mali BESC, whichever port is used, while the Senegal BSC covers goods imported into Senegal. Whether Senegal also asks for its own certificate on Dakar transit cargo is not settled in our record: the Mali guidance says it depends on the port. For Mali cargo through Dakar, state the final destination when you apply.
Shipping to Senegal from Turkey
The BSC number is printed on the Master Bill of Lading, so apply before the vessel leaves Turkey. Once the shipping line has issued a Master Bill of Lading without that number, the Senegal file comes back. Give the line the number before it issues the Master Bill of Lading, and ask for the dated copy as soon as it is available, because COSEC validates only after it arrives.
Why File Through GetCTN
We prepare the Senegal BSC draft and tell you what to pass to the shipping line for the Master Bill of Lading, which is the point where most Senegal files bounce. We then take the dated Master Bill of Lading through to COSEC validation. Corrections to the draft cost nothing, so a wrong Incoterm or invoice reference is fixed before COSEC sees it. GetCTN is an independent authorized agent and is not part of COSEC.
Which Bill of Lading Carries the BSC Number?
The Master Bill of Lading. For Senegal, the number is printed on it by the shipping line, so the shipper or forwarder has to pass it on before the Master Bill of Lading is issued. A Master Bill of Lading with no BSC annotation is also on the rejection list at the top of this page.
Can COSEC Validate Without the Dated Master Bill of Lading?
No. A draft Bill of Lading is enough to start the Senegal BSC, but COSEC validation waits for the dated Master Bill of Lading. The number goes on first, the dated document follows, and COSEC validation comes last.
How Many BSCs Does One Bill of Lading Need?
The 2008 order requires every Bill of Lading to be covered by at least one BSC. Two Bills of Lading to Dakar on the same vessel therefore need their own cover each. Count the Senegal BSC by Bill of Lading, not by vessel or voyage.
What Should the Invoice Show for a Senegal BSC?
The Incoterm, the reference and the date. Goods and declared values must be stated as shipped, and freight goes on a separate freight invoice if it is not on the commercial invoice. Check these against the Master Bill of Lading that will go to COSEC.
What Happens to a Carrier That Loads Without a BSC?
The carrier faces a penalty. The 2008 order does not leave the risk with the cargo owner alone: carriers that load cargo for Senegal without a BSC are penalised too. At Dakar the customs declaration is not admissible without a valid BSC, so the cargo cannot be cleared while storage and demurrage run.
Senegal BSC questions
What is the Senegal BSC?
The BSC (Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons) is Senegal’s compulsory cargo tracking note for goods imported by sea, created by Interministerial Order No. 04350 of 26 May 2008 and validated by COSEC.
Which documents are required to obtain the BSC?
The core documents are: Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, and Freight Invoice. Additional destination-specific paperwork may be requested during validation — our desk confirms the exact list for your shipment.
When must the BSC be issued?
Before the vessel sails: the BSC number must be printed on the Master Bill of Lading, and the dated Master Bill of Lading is required before COSEC validates the certificate.
What happens if cargo arrives without a valid BSC?
The customs declaration is not admissible without a valid BSC, so the cargo cannot be cleared; carriers that loaded it face a penalty, and storage and demurrage run in the meantime.
Can a validated BSC be modified after issuance?
Once validated, changes are generally restricted. Ensure all weights, values and party details match your cargo manifests and Bill of Lading exactly before submitting.
Is BSC Senegal the same as the Senegal BESC or ECTN?
Yes. BSC (Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons) is the name printed on Senegal’s certificate; BESC is its electronic form, and searches for the Senegal ECTN mean the same document.
Who is COSEC?
The Conseil Sénégalais des Chargeurs (COSEC), Senegal’s shippers’ council, validates the BSC under the 2008 interministerial order.
Do exports from Senegal need a BSC?
No. The BSC applies to goods imported into Senegal by sea; exports are exempt.