Yemen ACD Now Enforced from 1 February 2025 — Act Before Your Vessel Departs

This is an urgent update for anyone shipping containerised cargo to Yemen.

As of 1 February 2025, all containerised shipments destined for Yemeni ports must be accompanied by a valid Advanced Cargo Declaration (ACD) certificate. The requirement is being enforced by Yemen’s Counter Terrorism Service, and it applies without exception.

Three Things You Need to Know

1. The ACD must be obtained at the port of loading. You cannot apply for the ACD after the vessel has sailed. The application must be submitted — and the certificate issued — before the ship departs from the port of origin.

2. The ACD number must appear on the Bill of Lading. The B/L must show the ACD reference number. If it doesn’t, cargo may be refused or held at the Yemeni port of discharge.

3. The shipper or freight forwarder is responsible. The obligation to obtain the ACD sits with the exporter, shipper, or freight forwarder at the port of loading — not with the importer in Yemen.

This Is a Hard Deadline

Unlike some regulatory changes that come with a grace period, this one doesn’t appear to have any transitional allowance. The 1 February 2025 date is the enforcement start date, and Yemen’s authorities have been clear that shipments without a valid ACD will not proceed smoothly through customs.

If you have a shipment already in transit that was loaded before 1 February, you may wish to contact your agent at the port of discharge to clarify the position for your specific consignment.

What Documents Are Required?

To process a Yemen ACD application, you’ll need:

• Draft Bill of Lading
• Commercial Invoice
• Freight Invoice (if not included in the commercial invoice)

We can typically process the ACD and have the certificate ready within a few hours of receiving complete documentation. Don’t leave this to the last minute — get in touch as soon as your B/L details are available.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +971 56 470 4833