Recently, the Djibouti Ports and Free Zone Authority issued an official announcement stating that starting from June 15th, all cargo being discharged at the Djibouti port, regardless of the final destination, must possess an Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) certificate.

Why is an ECTN certificate necessary?

The Port of Djibouti is a port located in the capital city of Djibouti, the Republic of Djibouti. It is situated at a crossroads of one of the busiest shipping routes in the world, connecting Europe, the Far East, the Horn of Africa, and the Persian Gulf.

The port serves as a significant refueling and transshipment center, and it is also the main sea export gateway for neighboring Ethiopia's imports and exports. Approximately 2,500 vessels pass through and dock at the port daily.

Djibouti's economy relies heavily on the strategic location of its port, as about one-third of global daily shipping passes through the northeast edge of Africa.

Since the revocation of DP World's port concession rights by a presidential decree in 2018, the port has been at the center of legal disputes between port operator DP World and the Djiboutian government.

What is an ECTN certificate?

It is understood that some African countries require formal loading documents, known as Electronic Cargo Tracking Notes (ECTNs). The ECTN certificate contains detailed information about the products, including how they are transported between ports and how long it takes.

Final release date and outcome of this policy:

The Djibouti Port Authority has decided to implement the DJIBOUTIECTN procedure for all goods destined for the Port of Djibouti. Starting from June 15th, 2023, Djibouti CTN will be mandatory, and consignors, exporters, or freight forwarders should apply for it from the port of origin.

Each batch of goods must be accompanied by an ECTN certificate before arriving at the port. With this certification, the destination port authorities receive all the necessary information before the goods arrive, facilitating the customs clearance process for your products.

Additionally, each bill of lading must specify the corresponding ECTN tracking number. Otherwise, there may be issues during customs clearance and transit of the goods.

ECTN Sample:

ECTN fees:

According to data from the Djibouti CTN website, the fees for obtaining an ECTN certificate are as follows:

USD 100/TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit); USD 150/FEU (Forty-Foot Equivalent Unit).