Côte d'Ivoire
B/L Print Requirements
Mandatory text on Ocean B/L
- • BSC Number, 6-digit HS Code, FDI Number, and consignee Compte Contribuable mandatory on Ocean B/L and manifest.
- • Ocean freight must be prepaid.
BSC number, FDI reference, and consignee Compte Contribuable must appear on the B/L. For transit cargo to Mali or Burkina Faso, the transit clause ("In transit to [Country] via Port of Abidjan") must appear in the goods description.
Inspection & Certificates
Pre-loading inspection & filing
- • BSC must be validated via OIC portal prior to vessel departure.
- • Mandatory VoC certificate required prior to shipment for regulated goods (FOB >= 1,000,000 XOF).
- • Electronic FDI domiciled via GUCE single window before loading.
Cargo & Standards
Labeling, vehicles & packaging
- • Passenger vehicles: maximum 5 years from manufacture
- • Commercial vehicles (trucks, buses): maximum 10 years from manufacture
- • Right-hand-drive vehicles are strictly prohibited.
- • French product labeling mandatory on all packaging, manuals, and warnings.
- • Official Veterinary Health Certificate and prior import permit mandatory for all imported meat and poultry products.
- • Used passenger cars restricted to 5 years maximum age; commercial trucks and buses permitted up to 10 years.
- • Food and pharmaceuticals require at least 50% remaining shelf life upon port arrival.
- • ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp required on all wooden packaging.
Shipper & Consignee
Where this destination differs from standard practice
- • Foreign consignees are not accepted — a locally-registered entity must be named.
- • NVOCCs cannot be named as consignee — the actual buyer must be named.
- • Generic "to order" is not accepted — only "to order of [named bank]" is permitted.
NVOCCs are strictly NOT allowed to be shown as consignee — the consignee must be the actual Ivorian registered buyer holding an active Compte Contribuable. Consignee and notify must each have a physical street address and phone number in Côte d'Ivoire (PO Box only is rejected). "To Order" B/Ls must be consigned strictly to "To Order of [Named Ivorian Bank]".
Non-Compliance Risk at Destination
Failure to obtain a pre-shipment VoC certificate for regulated cargo triggers a mandatory 50% CIF penalty at Port of Abidjan, plus container holds and potential re-exportation. NVOCCs cannot be named as consignee.
Compliance Timeline for Côte d'Ivoire
Follow this 3-step sequence from container stuffing through to port clearance.
Before Container Loading
- ✓ Complete pre-shipment inspection (PVoC / CoC) via Ministry of Commerce VoC Bodies (Bureau Veritas, SGS, Cotecna, Intertek, TÜV Rheinland) before cargo is stuffed.
- ✓ Verify vehicle age against the applicable statutory limit (5 yrs passenger / 10 yrs commercial).
- ✓ Confirm vehicle is NOT right-hand drive before booking.
- ✓ Confirm consignee is a locally-registered entity — foreign consignees are not accepted at this destination.
- ✓ Verify ISPM 15 heat-treated stamp on all wooden crates, dunnage, and pallets.
Prior to Sailing
- ✓ Inscribe validated BSC certificate number onto the Ocean B/L text and carrier manifest. (OIC (Office Ivoirien des Chargeurs))
- ✓ Generic "to order" is not accepted — only "to order of [named bank]" is permitted.
- ✓ Ensure exact consignee Tax ID / Registration Code and 6-digit HS Code are printed on B/L.
- ✓ Submit SOLAS Verified Gross Mass (VGM) to loading terminal before yard cutoff.
Port Clearance at Destination
- ✓ Submit validated BSC electronic tracking note to destination customs authority.
- ✓ Present original Certificate of Conformity (CoC) to destination standards inspectors.
- ✓ Collect Delivery Order (DO) upon completing Release verification.
Download Compliance Guide for Côte d'Ivoire (PDF)
Generate a practical, print-ready compliance document complete with statutory B/L clauses, ECTN certificate agencies, vehicle age ceilings, and station phone contacts.