Benin BESC

What is Benin BESC?

BESC, which stands for Bordereau Électronique de Suivi des Cargaisons (French for Electronic Cargo Tracking Note, ECTN), serves a clear purpose.

ECTN essentially speaks for itself. Authorities require this certificate to track, manage, supervise, and verify cargo even before it’s loaded onto the vessel at the port of origin. The certificate includes vital information about the exporter, importer, goods’ value and quantity, vessel name, and more.

What documents are required?

Benin requires 4-5 documents to get the BESC waiver certificate, which you can find in the following:

• Bill of Lading: It contains details about the exporter, the importer, the weight of the goods, the shipping line, the vessel name, etc.
• Commercial Invoice: It includes the details of the goods, the freight cost, the incoterm, and some other charges if there are any, etc.
• Freight Invoice: This is only required if the freight cost isn’t on the commercial invoice.
• Export Customs Declaration: This is a document that is prepared by the Customs Officials of the exporter country and lists the goods getting transported and has a detailed description of them.
• Packing List: This document contains all the details of the goods, especially the total weight.

What will happen if you don’t have an ECTN? 

You are obligated to have this certificate validated five days before the consignment’s arrival. Failing to do so will result in cargo delays and the imposition of penalties. The penalty, in the form of a substantial regulatory charge determined by the Port Autonome de Cotonou (PAC), is levied on the cargo owner.

Important Notice

Please note that we have received confirmation from the Beninese authorities that for vehicles inside containers, the cargo type should be “container”.

This only goes for vehicles inside containers, so where the container number is clearly mentioned on the documents.

Please do make sure to add the chassis number of the vehicles in the goods description field for this type of case.

Of course, vehicles that are not loaded in containers should be given the cargo type “RoRo”.

How long does it take to get Benin BESC certificate?

We provide draft Benin BESC certificate within 24 hours. We provide certificates to exporters all over the World.

Which ports in Benin require (cargo waiver) BESC certificate?

The top 5 shipping ports in Benin requiring BESC certificate are:

These five ports in Benin 1) Cotonou 2) Contonou-Akpro-Misserete 3) Porto-Novo 4) Parakou and 5) Porga— these are the major shipping ports in Benin, facilitating the movement of goods, cargo, and trade activities within the country and across borders.

• Port of Cotonou:
  Located in the capital city of Cotonou, the Port of Cotonou is the largest and busiest port in Benin. It serves as a major gateway for international trade and handles a significant volume of cargo.
• Port of Contonou-Akpro-Misserete:
  This port, also situated in Cotonou, is an extension of the Port of Cotonou and is dedicated to container handling. It helps accommodate the growing container traffic in the region.
• Port of Porto-Novo:
  Located in the capital city of Porto-Novo, this port serves as an important transportation hub in Benin. It handles cargo shipments, particularly for the eastern part of the country.
• Port of Parakou:
  Situated in the city of Parakou, the Port of Parakou serves as a river port on the Niger River. It facilitates trade and transportation of goods within the northern region of Benin.
• Port of Porga:
  This port is located in Porga, near the border with Niger. It serves as a key entry point for goods coming from or going to Niger, contributing to cross-border trade.

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