Chad – BESC Certificate Requirement

100% Penalty for Shipments to Chad Without BESC

As per regulation 056/PR/MITDC/2019 published by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Chad, starting from January 1, 2020, all cargo exported to or imported from the Republic of Chad must be covered by an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN/BESC).

Discharge of cargo not covered by a valid BESC certificate will be subject to a penalty fee equal to 100% of the BESC value. Additionally, importers may face delays and storage costs.

How to Obtain the Chad BESC Certificate

Required Documents

• Bill of Lading

• Commercial Invoice

• Freight Invoice (if the freight amount is not mentioned on the Commercial Invoice)

To start the certification process, share PDF copies of the required documents via sck@scktr.com. There is no need to send hard copies for the issuance of BESC certificates. Final documents must be submitted without further amendments, as modifications after validation will result in a penalty fee.

Validation Deadline

The BESC must be validated no later than two days before arrival at destination or departure of the vessel.

Approval Timeline

How long does it take to get approval?

Once all required documents are provided, a draft of the BESC certificate will be shared for confirmation and payment. After confirmation, the certificate is submitted for approval by the Chad authorities.

The process usually takes a few days; however, planning for up to one week is recommended.

If the freight is in transit via Cameroon, a Cameroon BESC certificate is also required.

Bill of Lading Port Indication

Which name should be indicated on the bill of lading as a discharge port?

Douala and Kribi are the main ports of Cameroon, and maritime traffic to Chad is handled through these ports. If the discharge port is indicated as Douala or Kribi on the bill of lading, the shipment’s final destination must be checked to confirm whether it is in transit to Chad.

Special Cargo Cases

How should vehicles (chassis) loaded in containers be declared?

If vehicles (chassis) are loaded in containers, the shipment type must be declared as containerized cargo, and container references must be correctly indicated on the bill of lading.

Otherwise, ECTN certificates should be issued as RO/RO shipments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to obtain BESC if my shipment is in transit through Cameroon to Chad?

Yes. A shipment traveling via Cameroon with Chad as the final destination requires a Cameroon ECTN/BESC certificate as well.

Can I use the same ECTN number for various shipments?

No. Each shipment requires its own unique and verified ECTN number.

Responsibility

The responsibility for obtaining the ECTN/BESC certificate lies with the shipper. Shipments without a valid certificate are penalized, and the shipper will be responsible for any resulting losses.

Meeting with the General Manager of COC-TCHAD

To ensure that CHAD ECTN/BESC procedures are carried out accurately and in line with the latest regulations, we maintain regular communication with the relevant authorities in the region.

In this context, we held a meeting with Djougoune Abdoulaye Mourra, General Manager of COC-TCHAD (Chadian Shippers’ Council), where we discussed document requirements and operational processes.

This collaboration enables us to provide our clients with the most accurate information, faster processing, and uninterrupted support.

Source:
You can access all details of this meeting through our video covering the CHAD ECTN/BESC process review with the Director General of COC-TCHAD