About the BESC

The Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (BESC), also known internationally under its acronym ECTN, is a secure electronic document used to identify, control and ensure the traceability of goods transported by sea.

Implemented in several countries around the world, particularly in Africa, the BESC reflects the principles of trade facilitation and security promoted notably by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

In Mali, the legislative and regulatory framework governing the BESC is based primarily on:

• the Decree No. 2023-0302/PT-RM of 11 May 2023 on the regulation of maritime transport, whose Article 3 entrusts the Malian Shippers' Council (CMC) with monitoring maritime cargo and issuing the BESC. This text makes the BESC mandatory for any shipping company loading or discharging Malian freight;
• the Inter-ministerial Order No. 2025-6075/MTI-MIC-MEF-SG of 31 December 2025, which sets out the procedures for issuing, validating and managing the BESC as well as the fees applicable to its issuance.

Managed by the Malian Shippers' Council (CMC), the BESC platform allows shippers and their agents to submit their requests online, transmit the required documents, track the processing of their files, and obtain their validated BESC in a simple, fast and secure way.

The BESC thus contributes to trade facilitation, transport cost control, operational security, the production of reliable statistics, and improved governance across Mali's logistics chain.

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