Mali BSC Certificate

As Mali is a landlocked country, an additional BESC/ECTN is required in the country where the port of arrival is located. Cargo mainly transits via Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Dakar (Senegal); no loading certificate is required for freights via Abidjan.

Last Updated: 18 December 2025 – Regulations are subject to change.

Mali mandates an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN), also recognized as a Bordereau Electronique de Suivi des Cargaisons (BESC), for every shipment entering the country. As an authorized issuer, SCK Representation facilitates the acquisition of Mali BESC certificates. To secure a BESC, submit the requisite documents or opt to complete the form independently. While the process generally concludes within days, allotting a week is advisable for thorough preparation. Ensuring you have all necessary documents as per your destination port’s requirements is crucial to bypass any hold-ups or penalties. Trust SCK Representation to guide your Mali-bound shipments smoothly.

Mali is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast to the south, Guinea to the southwest, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west. The capital and largest city is Bamako. The official language is French and the population is around 20 million. Mali has a diverse culture with influences from the indigenous tribes, European colonizers, and the African diaspora.

Ensure your shipments to Mali comply with the Mali National Shippers Council (MNSC) by presenting a BSC within 5 days of the vessel’s departure, and no later than 5 days before it arrives at the port of discharge. Missing, late, or inaccurate BSC submissions are subject to fines, including the BSC cost and additional MNSC fees.

Appointed on January 22, 2015, “SCK Representation” is a trusted official agent authorized to issue Mali BESC (Bordereau électronique de Suivi de Cargaison) certificates, known in English as Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN). Secure your shipment’s compliance and avoid penalties with our expert guidance.

As Mali is a landlocked country, there will be a requirement for an additional BESC/ECTN certificate in the country where the port of arrival is located. In addition, you need to get another freight certificate via Guinea and Senegal. However, there is no requirement for a loading certificate for the freights via Abidjan.

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

Mali is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast to the south, Guinea to the southwest, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west. The capital and largest city is Bamako. The official language is French and the population is around 20 million. Mali has a diverse culture with influences from the indigenous tribes, European colonizers, and the African diaspora.

How can you get the Mali BESC certificate?

The following documents are required for the Mali BESC certificate:

• Bill of Lading (Applications can be made with draft copy)
• Commercial Invoice
• Freight Invoice (it is not necessary if the freight value is indicated on Commercial Invoice)

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 in the process. A penalty fee will occur for the modifications after validating the certificates.

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

Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Conakry (Guinea) and Dakar (Senegal) are the ports mainly used for the imports which are transited to Mali, and these ports handle all maritime traffic of Mali. Dakar (Senegal) is an important waypoint for the Republic of Mali. If the port of discharge is indicated as Abidjan, Conakry or Dakar on the bill of lading, you need to check the shipment’s final destination to be sure if it is in transit to a landlocked country. In addition to these ports, Cotonou (Benin) and Tema (Ghana) can also be preferred for importing goods to the Republic of Mali. Benin ECTN is required for transit cargo, whereas Ghana does not have an ECTN application.

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

If the cargo is going to Mali via another port, do we need a separate CTN certificate in this case?

Since Mali is a landlocked destination, you need to check whether there is also a certificate requirement at the port of destination. The majority of the cargo going to the country is carried out in transit through the ports of Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Dakar (Senegal). There is no need to issue a BSC certificate for transit loading for Ivory Coast (Abidjan) and Ghana (Tema). Only a Mali BESC certificate must be issued for your shipment.

If the port of destination is indicated on the bill of lading as Conakry (Guinea), Cotonou (Benin), Dakar (Senegal), or Lome (Togo), the relevant country must issue an additional certificate for your shipment.

Do I need a BSC certificate if my shipment is in transit through Senegal to Mali?

A shipment with a final destination of Mali in transit through Senegal only needs to get a BSC certificate for Mali.

Certificate requirement for freights transported to Mali with transit

Mali has started to implement certificate requirements. Cargos to Mali usually transit via Senegal. Please make sure that you get your certificate in such freights.

Required documents:

BESC (Bordereau Electronique de Suivi des Cargaisons) is a compulsory document for any shipment with a final destination in Mali. Every BL which covers cargo destined for Mali must be covered by a BESC to allow cargo to be carried from POD to Mali border control and for the consignees to clear their cargo when entering Mali. The Exclusive Representative will implement this control at POD Satralog, who will clear the BESC and permit the carriage of the goods to Mali. If the shipment is not covered by a BESC, Satralog will issue a regularisation BESC at a maximum rate of five times the one at the origin to allow carriage of the goods to Mali. For the first three months of this new procedure, the penalty is the issuance of the BESC at the same cost as the one at the origin.

You can contact us via sck@scktr.com for your questions.

Imports in Mali will no longer receive BESC at the destination.

Please be informed that since 01/01/2020, border controls have been enforced at the destination. Not-covered cargo has been regularised at the border by CMC in cooperation with our agents. No cargo will be forwarded to Mali without BSC, and not covered cargo will be subject to regularisation by port Agents at POD before carriage.

Consequently, please be informed that as of 15/02/2020, BSC issuance will no longer be possible at the borders. Still, it will be subject to regularisation by our POD agents, causing cargo delays at the borders for which we cannot be accounted as regulations have not been followed in the first place. Therefore, BSC must be requested and issued at the origin to avoid clearance blockage at the destination.

As the official agent, we are at your disposal at all times for your Mali BESC requirements.

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.