KRA activates new cargo system affecting all importers: how it works

The Kenya Revenue Authority has activated its Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) platform, a new requirement businesses shipping containerized goods to Kenya must complete before their cargo is loaded onto a vessel.

KRA in an update on August 13, 2026, said that the digital platform allows cargo information to be submitted to Customs before the shipment arrives at a Kenyan port.

The requirement is aimed at giving Customs information about the cargo, vessel and exporter in advance, allowing authorities to track shipments earlier and process compliant cargo more efficiently when it reaches Kenya.

But for importers and exporters, one detail is particularly important: the ACD requirement is tied to the Bill of Lading issued for the shipment.

For shipments covered by the requirement, the shipper or exporter must obtain an ACD Reference Code at the port of loading before the cargo is loaded. The approved reference code must then be included on the final Bill of Lading.

The key date is the date the Bill of Lading is issued, rather than the date when the cargo was booked, loaded, when the vessel departed or when it is expected to arrive.

Therefore, a Bill of Lading issued before August 3 is not subject to the new requirement, even if the cargo is subsequently loaded or the vessel departs after that date.

Conversely, a Bill of Lading issued on or after August 3 is subject to the ACD requirement.

The ACD is a pre-arrival cargo declaration containing information that enables Customs to know more about a shipment before it reaches the Kenyan port.

KRA says the system is also known in other jurisdictions by names including CTN, ECTN, BSC and BESC.

Every shipment unloaded at a Kenyan port must be covered by a validated declaration under the new system.

The system is particularly relevant to containerised cargo, including full-container-load, less-than-container-load, consolidated and groupage shipments.

Who is responsible for getting the ACD?

The primary responsibility falls on the shipper or exporter named on the applicable Bill of Lading.

The application must be made through the registered ACD account corresponding to that shipper or exporter.

This means that where several sellers are involved in a chain, it is the party identified as the shipper/exporter on the Bill of Lading — and responsible for export customs clearance — that submits the application.

A freight forwarder cannot simply use its own ACD account to submit an application for a client's cargo. The exporter must have its own registered account corresponding to its legal details on the Bill of Lading.

Shipping lines, carriers and their appointed agents also have responsibilities. They are expected to inform shippers about the requirement, request the ACD Reference Code before issuing the final Bill of Lading and ensure that the approved code is correctly shown on the document.

What documents are needed?

An applicant needs to submit several shipping documents through the ACD platform.

These include:

Draft

Bill of Lading

Commercial

Invoice

Freight

Invoice

Export

Declaration

KRA also requires the documents to be clear and readable, while ACD drafts should contain relevant container details and HS Codes.

The process is conducted online through the ACD portal, where users can submit applications, upload documents, monitor their status and receive notifications when Customs reviews the declaration.

How long will approval take?

KRA's formal review service-level agreement is 24 hours.

However, the Authority says applications will normally be processed within two to three hours, while straightforward applications can take approximately 15 minutes.

Once an application is approved, the ACD Reference Code and certificate PDF become available through the portal, with an email notification also sent to the applicant.

If an application is rejected, the reason is displayed on the portal and communicated by email.

KRA is therefore advising shippers to submit applications sufficiently ahead of vessel loading rather than waiting until the last moment.

What happens after approval?

The process has a straightforward sequence.

The shipper first registers and submits the required documents through the ACD platform. Once Customs approves the declaration, an ACD Reference Code is issued.

That code must be endorsed on the final Bill of Lading before the shipment proceeds to Kenya.

The cargo can then proceed through the normal Customs clearance process when it arrives at the port.

What about cargo passing through Kenya to another country?

Not every shipment physically passing through Kenya requires an ACD.

Where the final destination shown on the Bill of Lading is outside Kenya and the consignee is also located outside Kenya, an ACD is not required, provided the Bill of Lading clearly identifies the movement as transit and shows the foreign final destination.

The position changes where Kenya is listed as the final destination or the consignee is located in Kenya. In such a case, an ACD is required even if the cargo is ultimately intended to move onward to another country.

Does the rule apply to all types of cargo?

The ACD requirement is specifically for containerized cargo.

This covers FCL, LCL, consolidated and groupage shipments. It is therefore not a blanket requirement covering air freight, ordinary road cargo, roll-on/roll-off cargo and bulk cargo.

Empty containers imported into Kenya can also fall under the requirement where they are being formally imported or undergoing Customs clearance. Their treatment depends on the applicable customs regime where the movement does not constitute an import.