Somalia CTN Certificate

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

What the Somalia CTN is

The CTN (Cargo Tracking Note), also written ECTN, is an electronic pre-arrival declaration used across more than 24 African destinations. It lets the destination administration see a shipment — cargo, parties, routing — before it arrives, and it is the document Somali customs check the manifest against.

Effective 1 February 2023, Somalia mandates a CTN for all incoming shipments. The requirement applies to every type of cargo imported for commercial, business, diplomatic or personal use. Starting 29 April 2023, the ECTN reference number must be shown on the Bill of Lading for all transactions involving Somalia.

The CTN waiver certificate must be obtained from the authorized representative by the shipper or freight forwarder.

Required documents for the Somalia CTN

All documents should be legibly scanned and sent by email to sck@scktr.com.

How the Somalia CTN is issued

1. Send the documents. Legible scans; a draft Bill of Lading is enough to start.
2. Pre-screen. We check values, weights, containers and party details against each other before filing. Mismatches between documents are the usual reason a declaration is refused.
3. Draft issued. Normally the same working day once the file is complete and consistent.
4. Validation. The declaration goes for approval, normally within a few days.
5. Reference onto the Bill of Lading. The ECTN reference number is inserted on the Bill of Lading before the cargo is manifested.

When to apply

Before loading. The CTN is a loading document obtained at origin, so a shipment that sails without one cannot be regularised in transit.

How long a Somalia CTN is valid

One validated CTN covers one Bill of Lading. A split or reissued Bill of Lading needs its own reference.

Who files the Somalia CTN

The shipper or the freight forwarder obtains it from the authorized representative at the port of loading.

What happens if cargo arrives without one

The absence of the CTN paperwork leads to severe penalties and significant fees, and the cargo is held until the file is regularised. Because the rule covers commercial, business, diplomatic and personal cargo alike, there is no category that is exempt.

What a Somalia CTN 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.

Other names for this document

CTN, ECTN, BSC and BESC all name the same declaration. On the same East African and Red Sea routes it appears as an ECTN in Djibouti, an ACD in Kenya, an ACD in Sudan, an ACD in Yemen, an ECTN in South Sudan and an ECTN in Burundi.

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

Federal Republic of Somalia Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport Official Notice

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.