en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced the mandatory rollout of the Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) system on Monday, August 3, 2026. This digital pre-arrival platform aims to upgrade customs management processes, secure regional trade corridors, and alleviate chronic congestion at entry points such as the Port of Mombasa.
Under the new regulations, international exporters shipping containerized cargo to Kenya must obtain a unique ACD reference code before the goods are loaded at the port of origin. The KRA system requires logistics providers to upload four core transport documents—the draft bill of lading, commercial invoice, freight invoice, and the officially processed export customs declaration—directly to the online portal acd.kra.go.ke. Only after verification by the platform will the system generate this mandatory customs clearance code. The generated unique ACD tracking code must be endorsed, either physically or digitally, onto the final bill of lading before the vessel can proceed toward the Kenyan coast.
This automated system is designed to assist customs officials in early risk assessment and expedite the clearance of compliant cargo, but the initiative has raised concerns within the international shipping community. Industry organizations such as the Road Freight Association have publicly expressed structural doubts about the rapid implementation timeline. Transport industry leaders point out that without a phased transition period, abruptly mandating global traders to comply with new digital portal requirements could disrupt existing regional supply chains. Logistics companies are particularly worried that administrative delays in obtaining the mandatory ACD reference number could immediately lead to vehicle backlogs at inland warehouses and shipping hubs, resulting in costly demurrage charges and cargo congestion. Despite these industry concerns, the KRA is actively pushing forward with the August launch and has established a dedicated operational support hotline to assist international traders in clarifying compliance rules.
