Kenya Mandates ACD Advance Cargo Declaration! Non-Compliance May Result in Inability to Load Vessels Starting August 3!

According to Kenyan customs requirements, when applying for the ACD reference code, electronic versions of the following 4 documents must be mandatorily uploaded:

⚠️ Special Reminder: The core data such as product names, quantities, gross weight, volume, and amounts on these four documents must be strictly consistent. Any data mismatch may lead to rejection in the system review, thereby delaying loading.

The implementation of this new regulation means that the era of loose operations such as "loading first, submitting documents later" has completely ended for Kenya routes.

For freight forwarders, the operational process must be front-loaded. Before cargo is arranged for loading onto the vessel, customers must be urged to gather all documents such as customs declarations, invoices, etc., and complete system filing. Since the ACD code must be endorsed before the formal bill of lading is issued, shipping companies and freight forwarders will be stricter in their review when releasing cargo for loading. Any slight delay may lead to cargo space explosion, missed loading, or port detention.

Foreign trade enterprises can no longer wait until cargo arrives at the port to slowly prepare packing lists and invoices. They must ensure that the data in the commercial invoice, freight invoice, and domestic export customs declaration are 100% consistent before shipment. At the same time, uploading data to the Kenyan official system in advance means trade data becomes more transparent, and foreign trade practitioners need to pay attention to the compliance of customs declaration amounts.