An ECTN (Electronic Cargo Tracking Note), also called BSC, BESC, CTN or FERI, is a mandatory document for imports into 20-plus West and Central African countries. It must be applied for and validated in the country of origin, the UK, before the vessel arrives. Miss it and cargo faces heavy penalties; Cameroon fines 30 to 50 percent of freight value. Rolats obtains it for you at the UK end.
What the ECTN is, and why it must be done in the UK
The ECTN gives the destination customs authority advance detail on the cargo, shipper, consignee and value before the ship arrives. The catch is that it has to be issued and validated at origin. Once the vessel sails without it, you cannot simply fix it on arrival. Because Rolats raises it from the UK before loading, your cargo is not the one held at the quay.
What it is called, country by country
The same document carries different names depending on the destination.
- ECTN: the generic term, used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, Niger and others
- BSC (Bordereau de Suivi de Cargaison): Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Madagascar
- BESC: Cameroon, Benin
- FERI (Fiche Electronique de Renseignements a l'Importation): DR Congo, for Matadi and transit cargo
Rolats corridors that require a tracking note
Across our corridors a tracking note is required for Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, DR Congo (FERI), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Djibouti, Madagascar, Somalia and South Sudan. Requirements change, so we confirm the current list per shipment.
Penalties for getting it wrong
Non-compliance means delays plus fines. Cameroon charges 30 to 50 percent of CIF freight value, with significant hold-ups elsewhere, and DRC's FERI is strictly enforced at Matadi. This is exactly the kind of avoidable cost Rolats removes by handling it at source.
What we need from you
To raise and validate the note in the UK we need your final commercial invoice, bill of lading details, packing list and consignee details. We apply for and validate the ECTN, BSC, BESC or FERI in the UK and travel it with your documents, all on all-in GBP pricing with no charges at the African end.