What is the Sierra Leone CTN certificate (Sierra Leone ECTN)?
The Sierra Leone CTN certificate is the cargo tracking note required for sea cargo to Sierra Leone, mainly through the Port of Freetown. It is also known as the Sierra Leone ECTN and, in parts of the trade, the ENS; all three names mean the same document. The requirement rests on Ministry of Finance memorandum Ref. MF-Rev 62/100/05/11-22, and carriers enforce it at loading: the ECTN goes on the Bill of Lading and the cargo manifest, and without the final ECTN the Bill of Lading or waybill is put on hold.
The CTN is Sierra Leone’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 Sierra Leone CTN
One instrument, several names. For Sierra Leone the filing is the CTN — Cargo Tracking Note. The same certificate is also referred to as ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), and ENS, 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.
Sierra Leone CTN: the Port of Freetown
The Sierra Leone CTN covers sea cargo discharged in Sierra Leone, mainly at the Port of Freetown. Every Bill of Lading needs its own CTN.
Sierra Leone CTN sources
The Sierra Leone CTN rests on a Ministry of Finance memorandum (Ref. MF-Rev 62/100/05/11-22) and is enforced through an accredited agency.
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When to file the Sierra Leone CTN
File the Sierra Leone CTN before the cargo is loaded: carriers apply “No ECTN, No Load”, the ECTN has to be shown on the Bill of Lading and the cargo manifest, and the final ECTN must be submitted before the Bill of Lading is released, otherwise the Bill of Lading or waybill is put on hold.
Who files the Sierra Leone CTN
The shipper, the exporter or the freight forwarder at the port of loading files the Sierra Leone CTN; it remains the shipper’s responsibility to submit the final ECTN before the Bill of Lading is released.
How to get the Sierra Leone CTN, step by step
According to the customs regulations of Sierra Leone, 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 if freight is not on the invoice.
- ▪We check that parties, packages, weights and values match across the documents and prepare the draft with the CTN number.
- ▪You approve the draft; the CTN number goes on the Bill of Lading and the cargo manifest.
- ▪The final CTN is submitted before the Bill of Lading is released, and travels with the cargo for clearance at Freetown.
Sierra Leone CTN: validity and amendments
A validated CTN 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 Sierra Leone CTN?
Cargo arriving without a validated CTN is generally not released at Freetown: 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 Sierra Leone CTN 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.
Sierra Leone CTN: latest notices and articles
- The 4 Most Important Facts About Sierra Leone CTN · 2026-02-24
Sierra Leone CTN questions
What is the Sierra Leone CTN?
The CTN (Cargo Tracking Note) is Sierra Leone’s compulsory cargo tracking certificate for sea shipments, also called the Sierra Leone ECTN or ENS. It records loading and invoice details so the authorities can verify the shipment before it arrives at Freetown.
Which documents are required to obtain the CTN?
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 CTN be issued?
Before the cargo is loaded: carriers apply “No ECTN, No Load”, and the final ECTN must be submitted before the Bill of Lading is released, otherwise the Bill of Lading is put on hold.
What happens if cargo arrives without a valid CTN?
Carriers do not load cargo for Sierra Leone without an ECTN and hold the Bill of Lading until the final ECTN is submitted. Cargo that still arrives without one faces clearance delays, storage and demurrage at Freetown.
Can a validated CTN 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 ECTN Sierra Leone the same as the Sierra Leone CTN?
Yes. ECTN Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone ECTN and the Sierra Leone CTN all mean the same certificate; searches for the ECTN Sierra Leone requirement lead to the CTN printed on the certificate.
Since when do carriers enforce the Sierra Leone ECTN?
Since 1 January 2023 shipping lines have been mandated to enforce the Sierra Leone ECTN under the Ministry of Finance memorandum. The ENS/CTN number has to be given to the shipping line before loading at the port of loading so it can be printed on the Bill of Lading and the cargo manifest.
Do exports from Freetown need a number too?
Yes. For cargo leaving Sierra Leone, the EXS number has to be given to the shipping line before loading at Freetown so it can be printed on the Bill of Lading and the cargo manifest.
Is the Sierra Leone CTN the same as the ECTN or ENS?
Yes. CTN is the name printed on Sierra Leone’s certificate; the trade also calls it the Sierra Leone ECTN or ENS. All three mean the same document, one per Bill of Lading.
What does “No ECTN, No Load” mean for Sierra Leone?
Carriers do not load cargo for Sierra Leone without an ECTN. The ECTN must be shown on the Bill of Lading and the cargo manifest, and the final ECTN must be submitted before the Bill of Lading is released.