ECTN for Shipments Loading in South Africa

AfricaCTN is a leading authorized agent of the ECTN Certificate for shipments loading in South Africa. We have a local office that provides quick and accurate ECTN documents for your shipments to all African countries that require an electronic cargo tracking note.

What is the ECTN Certificate

The ECTN certificate can also be known as BESC (bordereau électronique de suivi des cargaisons), BSC, CTN, BIETC, FERI, CNCA, ARCCLA, ACD or Waiver Certificate, it is a critical part of the supply chain for 25+ African countries.

It is essentially a passport for your cargo, the ECTN contains information gathered from your bill of lading, commercial invoice, freight invoice, packing list, customs declaration and other supporting documents such as the certificate of origin or certificate of insurance (if required). It summarizes this information into one clear, legible document that allows customs authorities to monitor and approve the cargo before customs clearance at the destination port. They will contain information such as:

• Shipper and Consignee
• Port of Loading and Port of Discharge
• Value of Goods
• Freight Cost
• Vessel Name and Voyage Number

All ECTNs will be issued with a final ECTN Number. This number is the reference number that will be sent to the importer (from the exporter) to be used for customs clearance. Some shipping lines and countries will require the ECTN number be mentioned on the bill of lading.

How to Get an ECTN Certificate in South Africa

Shippers in South Africa will obtain the ECTN Certificate by reaching out to AfricaCTN’s local office. We will then guide you through the steps detailed below:

1. Submit Documents: Submit your shipping documents such as the BL, commercial invoice, freight invoice and more to AfricaCTN either through our South African Fast ECTN Application Portal or via AfricaCTN’s email ctn@africactn.co.za
2. Receive Draft ECTN and Invoice: AfricaCTN has quick response times from our local office in South Africa. So you will receive your draft ECTN and invoice on the same day you request it
3. Approve Draft ECTN Certificate: Check and confirm all details on the draft ECTN, if everything matches your shipping documents you will approve the draft, if changes are needed you can reply to the email requesting the correction of any error you may have noticed
4. Pay Invoice: Make payment of the invoice so validation can begin
5. Receive Final Validated ECTN: After the submission of the draft ECTN to the authorities, you will receive the final validated certificate in 24-48 hours depending on the destination country of your shipment. You will receive the final validation via email as soon as it is released by the respective port authorities. The PDF copy is all that you need, there is no physical copy of the ECTN.

Why Shippers in South Africa Choose AfricaCTN for Cargo Destined to African Countries that Require ECTN

When shipping from South Africa to a country that requires the ECTN Certificate, the vessel will reach its destination much quicker than when shipping from other ports around the world. That is why it is so important to choose a local South African ECTN provider to expedite the ECTN validation process.

AfricaCTN in South Africa is the best option for many shippers in South Africa because of our local team of experts that understand the rapid ECTN issuance requirements and our attention to detail on large bulk shipments

Frequently Asked Questions

What countries require an ECTN?

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo, Guinea Conakry, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Togo

Who issues or validates the ECTN?

In most countries, ECTNs are validated by local port authorities. However, in countries that have appointed authorized agents, like AfricaCTN, we serve as the official validating authority for the CTN.

Summary

Shippers in South Africa choose to work with AfricaCTN because our timely response, understanding of the local market and team of experts provides excellent service along with quick and accurate ECTN issuance for all destinations in Africa that require an ECTN.

If you are shipping from South Africa and need an ECTN, please reach out or file your request online with our South African Fast ECTN Application Portal