Ivory Coast BSC Certificate

Abidjan and San Pedro are important waypoints for Burkina Faso and Mali. Freight in transit via Abidjan does not need an Ivory Coast BSC; it is only required for importing goods.

Exporting to Ivory Coast requires a BSC (Bordereau de Suivi Cargaison) Certificate by law. SCK Representation simplifies obtaining this certificate. Just submit the required documents in PDF or use our online form. Approval typically takes a week, though delays may occur with Abidjan’s main office processing. The shipper’s responsible for securing the BSC Certificate, and failure to comply can result in penalties. Ensure smooth shipping with SCK Representation’s expert assistance.

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The Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d’Ivoire, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia and Guinea to the west, Mali and Burkina Faso to the north, Ghana to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The capital and largest city is Yamoussoukro, with the government and economic center being located in Abidjan. The official language is French and the population is around 25 million. The Ivory Coast has a diverse culture with influences from the indigenous tribes, European colonizers, and the African diaspora.

Every shipment to Ivory Coast must have a BSC certificate; without it, cargo will not be cleared and will be returned. Ensure your BSC is validated no later than 5 days before vessel arrival. Quickly secure your BSC certificate through SCK Representation to avoid delays.

BSC is a French shortening of ‘Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons ‘translated as ‘Cargo Tracking Note’ (CTN) in English.

Regulations are subject to change, we recommend confirming the latest country-specific requirements with our team via email.

How can you get Ivory Coast BSC Certificate?

You need to submit the following documents in your application for the BSC certificate:

• Bill of Lading (Application can be made with a draft copy. Original will be needed for validation)
• Invoice
• Freight invoice, if the freight value is not mentioned in the Invoice.
• Packing list
• Certificate of origin
• Customs declaration
• Certificate of insurance for Cote d’Ivoire (Local insurance document certificat d’assurance | provided by the importer in Ivory Coast.)
• FDI document (Fiche de déclaration à l’importation | provided by the importer in Ivory Coast.)

To start the certification process, you should share PDF copies of the documents through sck@scktr.com. There is no need to send hard copies for the issuance of BSC certificates. Please be sure to share the final documents, which will not have any more amendments later on in the process. A penalty fee will occur for the modifications after validating the certificates.

Are there any additional requirements for the issuance of a BSC certificate?

Importers should have registration on the platform and present their system account number and name to start the certification process.

Also, note that the certificate of insurance (certificat d’assurance) and FDI document (*Fiche de déclaration à l’importation) *need to be issued by the Ivory Coast’s importer and presented to complete the validation process.

For more information and document samples, please contact our team via sck@scktr.com.

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

Abidjan and San Pedro are the main ports of the Ivory Coast. These ports handle all maritime traffic of the Ivory Coast, and they are important waypoints for Burkina Faso and Mali. Therefore, if the port of discharge is indicated as Abidjan or San Pedro on the bill of lading, you need to issue a BSC certificate for Ivory Coast.

What is BSC?

BSC (Bordereau de Suivi de Cargaison), also known as ECTN, is another name for a waiver document.

Do I need to get an ECTN if the shipment goes through Ivory Coast to Burkina Faso?

A shipment to Burkina Faso in transit through Ivory Coast only needs a Burkina Faso ECTN certificate.

Where do I get the FDI document?

The consignee from the customs office in the Ivory Coast may request an FDI document.

Can I use one FDI for multiple purposes?

The FDI document is produced separately for every shipment and Bill of Lading. Therefore, the names of the loading and arrival ports and the shipment’s weight, value, and term must match those on the relevant shipping documents.

Responsibility

The responsibility to get the ECTN/BESC certificate is on the shipper’s side. Transports without a certificate are penalized, and the shipper will be responsible for the loss.

Verified Compliance Review

This content is reviewed to ensure accuracy and consistency with ECTN (CTN, BESC, BSC, BIETC, FERI, ACID, ACD) procedures, based on current operational practices and applicable regulatory frameworks at the time of the last update.

Required documents for the Ivory Coast BSC

The last two come from the Ivorian side, not from you. They are the usual reason an Ivory Coast file waits, so ask the importer for them the day the booking is confirmed.

How the Ivory Coast BSC is issued

1. Send the documents and the importer’s platform account number and name.
2. Pre-screen. We check values, weights, containers and party details against each other, and confirm the FDI figures match the Bill of Lading.
3. Draft issued in a day if the documents are complete and coherent.
4. Validation. Approval is usually given in a day, but all approvals are handled in the main office in Abidjan, so allow about a week.
5. Number onto the Bill of Lading before arrival.

When to apply — the deadline that matters

The BSC must be validated no later than five days before the vessel arrives. Cargo that arrives without one is not cleared and is returned, so the five days is a hard planning constraint, not a guideline.

How long an Ivory Coast BSC is valid

One validated BSC covers one Bill of Lading and one shipment. So does the FDI: it is produced separately for every shipment, and the port names, weight, value and terms on it must match the shipping documents.

Who files the Ivory Coast BSC

The shipper. Transports without a certificate are penalised and the shipper is responsible for the loss.

What happens if cargo arrives without one

Cargo is not cleared and is returned. A penalty fee also applies to any modification made after the certificate has been validated.

What an Ivory Coast BSC costs

Two parts: the tariff set by the issuing authority, which varies with cargo type, container count and tonnage, and our fee for preparing, filing and following the declaration through validation in Abidjan. Amendments after validation are charged separately. We quote it as one figure once we have seen the shipment details — email sck@scktr.com.

Which ports it covers

Abidjan and San Pedro handle Ivory Coast’s maritime traffic. If either is shown as the port of discharge, the shipment needs an Ivory Coast BSC. Both are also transit gateways for Burkina Faso and Mali — cargo in transit through Abidjan needs only the final destination’s certificate.

Other names for this document

BSC, ECTN, BESC and CTN all name the same declaration. Along the same coast it appears as a CTN in Ghana, a BESC in Benin, a CTN in Liberia, an ECTN in Guinea and an ECTN in Togo.

SCK Representation is an authorized ECTN, BESC, CTN and cargo tracking note provider for shipments to African countries, filing from Istanbul since 2001.