Central Africa · Official cargo tracking document

Equatorial Guinea FESO Certificate

The Equatorial Guinea FESO (Formulario Electrónico para el Seguimiento de Operaciones) is a mandatory loading certificate for every import into Equatorial Guinea. One validated FESO covers one Bill of Lading for cargo discharging at Malabo or Bata.

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FESO At a glance
CertificateFESO
DestinationEquatorial Guinea
StatusMandatory
ProcessingDraft the same day the file is complete; validation normally within a few days
ValidityOne validated FESO per Bill of Lading
PortsMalabo, Bata
AuthorityEquatorial Guinea National Shippers' Council
2001
Issuing tracking notes since
25+
African destinations served
Hours
Typical draft turnaround
1:1
Dedicated file specialist
The deadline that matters

Validate before the vessel sails

Cost of non-compliance

No FESO = fines & demurrage

Freight not covered by a loading certificate will be penalized at the destination port, and failure to present the FESO upon shipment arrival can lead to severe penalties. A penalty fee also applies for modifications made after the certificate has been validated.

Regulatory mandate

Required Documents — Equatorial Guinea FESO

Bill of Lading — the contract of carriage; a draft opens the file, the original validates it
Commercial Invoice — declared value and HS codes customs assess against
Freight Invoice — the freight amount, when the commercial invoice does not show it
Export Customs Declaration — the loading country's record of the same shipment
On video

Equatorial Guinea FESO — short explainer

Country Guide

Equatorial Guinea FESO: full requirements

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

What the Equatorial Guinea FESO is

The FESO (Formulario Electrónico para el Seguimiento de Operaciones) is the pre-loading declaration Equatorial Guinea’s customs administration uses to see a shipment before it arrives. It records the cargo, its weight and value, the parties and the routing. Equatorial Guinea has required it on all imports since 2000, and it applies to every shipment brought in for commercial, business, diplomatic or personal purposes.

Required documents for the Equatorial Guinea FESO

DocumentWhat it proves
Bill of LadingThe contract of carriage — vessel, ports, containers and the parties. A draft copy opens the file; the original is needed to validate.
Commercial InvoiceThe declared value and the HS codes customs assess the cargo against.
Freight InvoiceThe freight amount, required only when the commercial invoice does not state it.
Export Customs DeclarationThe loading country’s own record of the shipment. Unless the sale is cross-trade, every detail must match the other documents.

Send PDF copies to sck@scktr.com. Hard copies are not needed. Send final documents: a change made after validation carries an amendment fee.

How the Equatorial Guinea FESO is issued

  1. Send the documents. A draft Bill of Lading is enough to start.
  2. Pre-screen. We check value, weight, container and party details against each other before anything is filed. Mismatched documents are the single most common reason a declaration is refused.
  3. Draft issued. Normally the same working day once the file is complete and consistent.
  4. Validation. The original Bill of Lading goes with the file for approval, normally within a few days.
  5. Number onto the Bill of Lading. The validated FESO reference travels with the shipping documents to the discharge port.

When to apply

Before loading. The certificate is obtained at the port of loading, and cargo that arrives at a port in Equatorial Guinea without one is penalised at destination.

How long an Equatorial Guinea FESO is valid

One validated FESO covers one Bill of Lading. It is not reusable: a second shipment, or a split Bill of Lading, needs its own validated number.

Who files the Equatorial Guinea FESO

The shipper or the freight forwarder at origin obtains it from the authorized representative. Responsibility sits with the shipper, and the shipper carries the loss if the cargo travels uncovered.

What happens if cargo arrives without one

Freight not covered by a loading certificate is penalised at the destination port, and failure to present the FESO on arrival can lead to severe penalties. An amendment fee also applies to changes made after the certificate has been validated.

What an Equatorial Guinea FESO 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. We quote both as one figure once we have seen the shipment details — email sck@scktr.com.

Which ports it covers

Malabo, on Bioko, and Bata on the mainland, plus cargo discharged there for onward movement.

Other names for this document

FESO is Equatorial Guinea’s name for this declaration. In neighbouring Central African markets it appears as a BESC in Cameroon, a BIETC in Gabon, an ECTN in the Republic of Congo and a FERI in the DR Congo.

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

Verified Compliance Review

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

SCK Meeting Photo

Sample certificate

What a validated Equatorial Guinea FESO looks like

A certificate we filed, with the customer fields masked. Use it to check the layout, where the authority stamp sits and where the reference number is printed.

Masked sample of a validated Equatorial Guinea FESO certificate
Full guide

Equatorial Guinea FESO: the complete guide

Issuing authority, required documents, application process, timeline and the rules that apply — in one page.

Read the Equatorial Guinea FESO guide

Questions, answered

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same FESO number for various shipments?
No, the FESO is unique and reserved for only one shipment. Every shipment must have a validated FESO certificate of its own.
How can I get an Equatorial Guinea FESO certificate?
Submit PDF copies of the Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Freight Invoice (if not on the Commercial Invoice), and Export Customs Declaration. There is no need to send hard copies.
Since when has the FESO been required for Equatorial Guinea?
Equatorial Guinea Customs Officials have mandated the FESO (Formulario Electrónico para el Seguimiento de Operaciones) for all imports since 2000.
Which shipments require the FESO?
Every shipment imported into Equatorial Guinea for commercial, business, diplomatic, or personal purposes is required by law to have a FESO loading certificate.

Trusted by exporters and freight forwarders shipping from Türkiye to Africa

A few of the brands that rely on us for the ECTN, BESC and CTN documents their cargo needs.

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Ready to get your Equatorial Guinea FESO?

Send your documents. We check your file and issue the validated certificate your cargo needs to clear customs at the destination port.