The Minister of Transport presided over the award of ISO 9001 version 2015 certification for ECTN issuance

On 7 May 2018, the Cameroon National Shippers' Council (CNSC) was particularly honoured by Minister Jean Ernest Ngale Bibehe who chaired the opening ceremony of the Extraordinary Steering Committee of the Union of African Shippers' Councils (UCCA) in the morning, then the ISO certification ceremony in the afternoon in Douala. Both events were attended by the sitting UASC Chairperson,  Burkinabé-born Ervé Sebastien Iiboudo who led a thirty-member delegation from the eighteen member countries of this specialised body of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA).

Certification is granted after a series Bureau Veritas conducted an audit in November 2017 that shows that the CNSC meets various ISO certification requirements namely its management's commitment regarding quality management system, the involvement and motivation of the audited staff, good operational mastery and so on.

"This certification attests to the conformity of the quality management system to the requirements of international standards in the field," Bureau Veritas General Manager for Cameroon said. It is therefore recognition of CNSC's expertise.

It should be noted that the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN) is an identification document that is in force in Cameroon since 11 July 2006. It is one of the documents that a shipper must obtain in the process of clearing goods. It also covers statistical needs for identification, control of transport cost, safety and traceability of trade and goods bound for or leaving Cameroon. "Through this certification, the CNSC aims to increase shippers' satisfaction in the ECTN issuance process through the effective application of the ECTN issuance system, including process optimisation for continuous service improvement and shipper compliance assurance... ", Auguste Mbappe Penda, CNSC General Manager said.

For the Minister of Transport, "CNSC's performance concerning the quality management system which has been certified under ISO 9001 version 2015 Standard for ECTN issuance should be commended . "This certification, which has been issued by Bureau Veritas and guarantees performance and transparency, is the expression of the constant quest for shipper satisfaction," he added.

The other UCCA member countries welcomed the award of the ISO certification to one of their members. "We are really happy that one of our members has been certified under ISO for its quality and performance. The CNSC has demonstrated that we can accomplish all the missions entrusted to us by our different countries, "UCCA Chairman said.