In 2007, Madagascar Authorities made a new regulation that stated a BSC certificate must accompany every shipment to Madagascar. Despite having severe consequences and a hefty fine in its absence, it is one of the most missed certifications. More than 20% of all cargos with Madagascar as their final destination got a penalty for not having a BSC certificate in 2016. However, you don’t need to have this certificate if your shipment’s final destination is somewhere other than Madagascar. The BSC is an obligation for all ports in Madagascar. Including Port Louis, Longoni etc.
What is Madagascar BSC?
BSC stands for Bordereau de Suivi des Cargaisons, which is French for Cargo Tracking Note or CTN for short. The name itself provides a clear indication of its purpose. It is a certificate utilized by authorities to track, manage, and supervise all cargos from loading to discharge. Additionally, it enables officials to obtain information about the shipments even before they arrive at the destination port. This includes details about the exporter, the importer, information about the transported goods and their value, the cost of the freight, the type of shipment, the name of the vessel, and more.
What are the required documents?
You need 4-5 documents for a BSC document that you can find in the following:
- Bill of Lading: This document contains information about the exporter, the importer, the weight of the goods, the shipping line, the vessel name, etc.
- Commercial Invoice: It includes details of the goods, the freight cost, the incoterm, and some other charges if there is any, etc.
- Freight Invoice: This is only a requirement if the freight cost isn’t on the commercial invoice.
- Customs Declaration: Customs Officials of the exporter country prepares this document, and it lists the goods getting transported and contains some important details of them.
- Packing List: This document contains all the details of the goods, especially the total weight.
What would be the consequences of not having a BSC certificate?
You must have the BSC certificate validated before the departure date. The officials will ask for the BSC to let you load your cargo into the vessel. And even if your shipment gets accepted, the certificate will be required at the destination port. If you fail to validate the certificate, your cargo won’t have an entry clearance; and will be sent back to the origin.
Pricing
Certificate cost depends on the number of Bill of Ladings and the containers, the country of origin, the port of discharge, etc. This is why we can’t give you an exact price for the CTN. But if you share your shipment’s details with us we can provide you the best charges for your certificate. We offer free quotation.
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