Kenya has implemented a mandatory Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) requirement for all containerised cargo imported into the country, taking effect from September 1, 2026.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) told exporters on July 14, 2026, that all container shipments headed for Kenyan ports need a reference code from its new Advance Cargo Declaration platform, which launched on Aug. 3, 20261.
The Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) is a digital system where cargo papers are sent to Kenyan customs before the ship arrives1. KRA says exporters obtain the code at the point of loading1.
In short, the seller abroad must upload four shipping papers to a KRA website before a container is loaded for Kenya. The code that comes back must be written on the bill of lading, the shipping company’s receipt for the goods.
What does the KRA notice require for containers?
The public notice was signed by KRA’s Commissioner for Customs and Border Control and dated July 14, 20261. It is addressed to importers, exporters shipping to Kenya, shipowners, carriers, shipping agents and customs agents1.
It covers all containerised cargo going to Kenyan ports1. Exporters get the ACD reference code from KRA’s ACD website when the container is loaded1.
Which papers must be uploaded to the ACD platform?
The platform creates the code only after four documents are uploaded1:
- Draft bill of lading
- Commercial invoice
- Freight invoice, the bill for the sea transport
- Export declaration
Papers uploaded before the code is issued
The notice then requires the code to be endorsed on the bill of lading before the shipment sails for a Kenyan port1. In practice, a container without the code on its bill of lading does not meet the notice. Buyers in Kenya depend on their overseas suppliers to complete this step, since the notice gives the task to the exporter.
When did the ACD system start?
KRA set the launch for Monday, Aug. 3, 20261. At a meeting at the Port of Mombasa on Aug. 31, KRA Commissioner General Adan Mohammed said the platform had received more than 1,000 applications since that date2.
Kenya’s ACD platform so far
He described this as uptake "ahead of full implementation"2. Neither the notice nor the later reports gives a separate date for full enforcement. Port users agreed at the meeting to keep discussing the operating rules for a smooth change-over2.
Why is Kenya’s customs agency adding the step?
KRA describes the system as a way to handle cargo papers before arrival1. According to the Government Advertising Agency’s report of the Aug. 31 meeting, papers are submitted and checked before goods are loaded at the port of export2.
Mohammed said this lets importers start customs processing earlier. He said it will cut the time cargo sits at the Port of Mombasa after arrival2. For a buyer in Kenya, earlier checks mean customs questions come up while the goods are still at sea.
On July 28, the Kenya News Agency reported that the KRA head called the platform a digital pre-arrival system for all containerised cargo destined for Kenya3. He presented it as part of work with the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), which runs the port, to reduce clearance delays3.
What else is changing at Mombasa port?
KRA and KPA also plan a pilot of automated "Smart Gates" at Gate 24 of the port2. The gates are meant to identify trucks automatically and cut the time trucks spend at the port3.
Share of containers handled at Mombasa, %
The two agencies will match staff shifts so the gates can run around the clock2. Domestic cargo will be moved to nominated Container Freight Stations, private yards that work as extensions of the port2.
KRA said about 40% of containers handled at Mombasa are empty2. It collects customs revenue on only about 25% of all containers2. The Commissioner General said enforcement against tax evasion and fraud remains a key priority2.
Where do shippers get ACD help?
KRA directs port users to the ACD website for full guidance on the process1. The notice also lists two ACD email addresses for questions1. From loading onward, each container bound for Kenya needs its bill of lading to carry the ACD code before it sails.
Sources
- ↩ Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) Platform for Containerized Cargo https://www.kra.go.ke/news-center/public-notices/2380-advance-cargo-declaration-acd-platform-for-containerized-cargo
- ↩ State agencies, private sector partner to enhance port efficiency | Government Advertising Agency https://gaa.go.ke/state-agencies-private-sector-partner-enhance-port-efficiency-0
- ↩ State agencies set to improve Mombasa port services – Kenya News Agency https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/state-agencies-set-to-improve-mombasa-port-services/