Comoros
B/L Print Requirements
Mandatory text on Ocean B/L
- • 6-digit HS Code, exact island port of discharge (Port of Moroni or Port of Mutsamudu), and consignee NIF mandatory on B/L and manifest.
- • Ocean freight must be prepaid.
Consignee NIF must appear on transport documents and manifest. The exact island discharge port (Port of Moroni, Grande Comore or Port of Mutsamudu, Anjouan) must be explicitly designated.
Inspection & Certificates
Pre-loading inspection & filing
- • No ECTN/BESC tracking note is required.
- • Standard customs declarations processed electronically via Direction Générale des Douanes in Sydonia World.
- • Commercial invoice, packing list, and original transport documents required.
Cargo & Standards
Labeling, vehicles & packaging
- • Passenger vehicles: maximum 10 years from manufacture
- • Right-hand-drive vehicles are strictly prohibited.
- • French or Arabic product labeling mandatory on all retail goods.
- • Halal certificate and official Veterinary Health Certificate strictly mandatory for all imported meat and poultry products.
- • Pork products prohibited from commercial import.
- • Motor vehicles older than 10 years face elevated customs valuation scales.
- • ISPM 15 wood packaging compliance strictly enforced at Port of Moroni and Mutsamudu.
- • 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.
Consignee must be a registered legal entity or resident in Comoros with an active NIF. "To Order" B/Ls are permitted provided the Notify Party is the registered local buyer with complete physical address, island location, phone number, and NIF stated on the B/L. PO Box only is rejected.
Non-Compliance Risk at Destination
Misdeclaring the island port of discharge triggers costly inter-island barge transshipment fees and customs re-manifesting holds. Non-certified meat products face immediate customs seizure.
Compliance Timeline for Comoros
Follow this 3-step sequence from container stuffing through to port clearance.
Before Container Loading
- ✓ Confirm commercial invoice and packing list accuracy with consignee.
- ✓ Verify vehicle age against the applicable statutory limit (10 yrs passenger).
- ✓ 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
- ✓ 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
- ✓ Collect Delivery Order (DO) upon completing Release verification.
Download Compliance Guide for Comoros (PDF)
Generate a practical, print-ready compliance document complete with statutory B/L clauses, ECTN certificate agencies, vehicle age ceilings, and station phone contacts.