Mozambique
B/L Print Requirements
Mandatory text on Ocean B/L
- • Consignee 9-digit NUIT, 6-digit HS Code, and precise goods description mandatory on Ocean B/L and manifest.
- • Ocean freight must be prepaid.
Consignee 9-digit NUIT must appear on transport documents and manifest. For transit cargo to Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, or Eswatini, the explicit transit clause ("In transit to [Country] via Port of [Maputo / Beira / Nacala]") must appear in the goods description field.
Inspection & Certificates
Pre-loading inspection & filing
- • Mandatory Pre-Shipment Inspection issued by INNOQ-accredited inspection bodies prior to loading for products on the statutory Positive List (flour, edible oils, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, tires, vehicles).
- • Electronic import declaration processed via JÚE single window.
Cargo & Standards
Labeling, vehicles & packaging
- • Passenger vehicles: maximum 10 years from manufacture
- • Left-hand-drive vehicles are strictly prohibited.
- • Portuguese product labeling mandatory on all retail packaging.
- • Motor vehicles older than 10 years face elevated customs valuation minimums.
- • Official Veterinary Health Certificate mandatory for all imported meat products.
- • ISPM 15 wood packaging compliance strictly enforced at Maputo, Beira, and Nacala.
- • 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 Mozambican commercial entity with an active 9-digit NUIT issued by Autoridade Tributária. For transit cargo, a foreign consignee is allowed provided an accredited local clearing broker is named in Notify. "To Order" B/Ls are permitted with full physical address in Mozambique, local phone number, and NUIT in Notify. PO Box only is rejected.
Non-Compliance Risk at Destination
Goods on the statutory Positive List arriving without a pre-shipment PSI inspection certificate incur a mandatory 10% to 30% CIF penalty plus destructive destination sampling holds. Transit shipments lacking an explicit transit clause face coastal customs holds.
Compliance Timeline for Mozambique
Follow this 3-step sequence from container stuffing through to port clearance.
Before Container Loading
- ✓ Complete pre-shipment inspection (PVoC / CoC) via INNOQ Accredited Bodies (Intertek, Bureau Veritas) before cargo is stuffed.
- ✓ Verify vehicle age against the applicable statutory limit (10 yrs passenger).
- ✓ Confirm vehicle is NOT left-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
- ✓ Present original Certificate of Conformity (CoC) to destination standards inspectors.
- ✓ Collect Delivery Order (DO) upon completing Release verification.
Download Compliance Guide for Mozambique (PDF)
Generate a practical, print-ready compliance document complete with statutory B/L clauses, ECTN certificate agencies, vehicle age ceilings, and station phone contacts.