Solving Discrepancies in Vehicle Chassis Counts for a Togo ECTN Certificate

Solving Discrepancies in Vehicle Chassis Counts for a Togo ECTN Certificate

Aligning Chassis Lists Across Documentation for RoRo Shipments to Lomé

Inconsistent vehicle unit counts and missing chassis numbers across shipping documents will trigger immediate rejections from Togolese customs authorities. This case study details how our operator’s audit caught conflicting chassis counts between the Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, packing list, and customs declaration for a RoRo shipment from Sohar to Lomé. By guiding the exporter through the necessary document revisions, we ensured a swift approval for the Togo Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN/BESC).

We recently managed the cargo tracking documentation for a Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) shipment of motor vehicles departing from the Port of Sohar, Oman, and bound for the Port of Lomé, Togo. Because Togo strictly monitors vehicle imports to combat illegal trade and ensure proper duty assessments, every vehicle shipment requires a mandatory Togo Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN/BESC) containing an exact, itemized list of every vehicle’s chassis/VIN number. To begin the application process, the exporter supplied their standard documentation package: the Bill of Lading, commercial invoice, packing list, and export customs declaration.

While conducting a thorough inspection during draft creation, our compliance operator noticed a critical discrepancy across the submitted paperwork. A cross-check of the vehicle counts revealed that the Bill of Lading listed only 26 chassis numbers, the commercial invoice listed 27, while both the packing list and the export customs declaration accounted for 28 chassis numbers. Beyond the missing chassis numbers on the shipping line and invoice documentation, the financial totals and quantities failed to align across the files. Submitting an application with such contradictions to the Togolese authorities would have resulted in an immediate system rejection, administrative flags, and potential customs delays upon arrival in Lomé.

Catching the oversight before official submission, we have contacted the client to flag the mismatch. We explained that Togolese customs regulations require coherent data across all submitted files. The client has been asked to provide a revised BL and commercial invoice.

The client coordinated with the shipping line and their documentation team to issue the corrected paperwork. Upon receiving the revised Bill of Lading and commercial invoice, our operator verified that all 28 chassis numbers and corresponding financial values matched across every document. We updated the certificate draft, received client confirmation, and submitted the complete application package to the Togolese customs authorities. Thanks to our operator’s keen eye, the authorities validated and issued the official Togo ECTN without a single query, ensuring a seamless discharge and clearance at the Port of Lomé without expensive storage fees or customs penalties.