What is an ECTN?

An ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note) is a pre-shipment compliance certificate required by some African destinations, also known as CTN, BESC, BSC, FERI, etc.

Purpose

• Pre-clearance of cargo information
• Prevention of undervaluation and smuggling
• Tracking cargo to destination port

Common Names

Different countries use different names for the same type of certificate:

• ECTN / CTN: General electronic cargo tracking note (Ghana, Guinea, Somalia, etc.)
• BESC: French-language name for ECTN (Benin, Cameroon, Togo, etc.)
• BSC: Bordereau de Suivi de Cargaison (Côte d'Ivoire, Madagascar, Senegal, etc.)
• CNCA: Angola National Shipping Council certificate
• FERI: DRC import cargo tracking note
• ACID: Egypt Advance Cargo Information Declaration
• ICTN: Nigeria Integrated Cargo Tracking Note