Libya ECTN Number and Certificate

Libya Bayrağı

Libya Bayrağı

The Libyan Customs Authority on behalf of the Libyan Ministry of Finance released the order (Decree N° 9310/4122) to inform all importers, exporters, shipowners, carriers, shipping agents, customs agents, and everyone who trades in Libyan territory that the ECTN certificate is mandatory for imports reaching to Libyan ports. 

As of 01/01/2021, all freights heading towards Libya require getting an ECTN certificate. “SCK Representation” is the only authorized agent to provide loading certificates for Libya. The goods without an ECTN will not be loaded onto the vessel. Shipments without an ECTN document are prohibited from entering Libyan ports. ECTN reference has to be indicated on the bill of lading.

How can you get Libya ECTN certificate?

The following documents are required for the Libya ECTN certificate:

    • Bill of Lading (Application can be done with draft copy)
    • Commercial Invoice
    • Freight Invoice  (it is not necessary if the freight value  is indicated on commercial invoice)
    • Customs Declaration
    • Certificate of Origin (Certified by the Chamber of Commerce by the exporter)
    • Statistical ID Document (of the Libyan company/importer) 
  • For bulk shipments, weight certificate for merchandise priced based on weight (VGM) 
  • For RO/RO shipments, automotive data, in terms of the date of manufacture, chassis number and weight.

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

How long does it take to get approval?

Once you provide all the required documents, a draft of the ECTN certificate will be shared with your side. We need your confirmation on the draft and payment. Afterwards, the certificate will be submitted for the approval of Libyan authorities. This process, depending on the number of active requests, usually takes a few days, but a week should be expected in planning. As there are extra requirements compared to other countries and the transit period to Libya is shorter, ECTN applications should be completed rapidly.

Are there any additional requirements for the issuance of an ECTN certificate?

As indicated earlier, exporters have to present the below documents with the details indicated as a full set to complete the validation process.

  • Certificate of Origin must be certified by the Chamber of Commerce of exporting country.
  • Statistical ID Document (of the Importer) must be presented. The document has to be issued with a valid date or an extension letter from Libyan customs has to be obtained.
  • VGM Certificate (for bulk shipments) which provides the information of merchandise price based on weight has to be presented for bulk shipments.
  • Automotive Data (for RO/RO shipments), including the date of manufacture, chassis number and weight of the vehicle has to be declared for RO/RO shipments.

All these requirements, mentioned above, have to be fulfilled for the validation of the certificate.

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