The document set
| Document | Issued by | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Exporter | States buyer, seller, lot, quantity, price basis, Incoterm and payment terms; basis for customs value |
| Packing list | Exporter | Bags, marks, gross and net weights, container and seal numbers |
| Bill of lading (B/L) | Shipping line | Contract of carriage and document of title; released when the container is loaded; originals or telex release needed to collect the coffee |
| ICO certificate of origin | Coffee authority (MAAIF Department of Coffee Development) under the International Coffee Organization system | Certifies Ugandan origin and records the shipment in ICO statistics; required by most importing countries' customs |
| Quality certificate | Coffee authority | Result of the mandatory pre-shipment inspection: grade, moisture, defects; confirms the lot meets Uganda's export standard |
| Phytosanitary certificate | MAAIF plant-health inspectorate | Certifies the coffee is free of regulated pests; required by EU, UK, US and most other plant-health authorities |
| Certificate of weight / fumigation (if requested) | Inspection company / fumigator | On request or where the buyer's country requires |
| Certification documents (if any) | Certifier | Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade transaction certificates — only where the lot is certified |
| EUDR data pack (EU) | Exporter | Geolocation, legality evidence and supplier statement supporting the importer's due diligence statement — see EUDR |
Under a letter of credit the originals are presented through the banks against the LC terms; otherwise originals are couriered and copies emailed as issued. We send copies as each document is issued so your broker can prepare the entry before the vessel arrives.
FOB Mombasa, explained
Uganda is landlocked; its coffee ships through Mombasa (Kenya) and, less often, Dar es Salaam (Tanzania). FOB Mombasa means the seller's responsibility — and price — covers everything up to the container being loaded on the vessel at Mombasa: the coffee, export grading and bagging, Ugandan export inspection and documents, customs export clearance, inland transport to the port, and terminal handling at Mombasa. The buyer arranges ocean freight and marine insurance and handles import clearance, duty (zero on green coffee into the EU, UK and USA) and delivery. FCA Kampala hands the loaded container to the buyer's carrier in Kampala; CFR/CIF adds ocean freight (and insurance) to the buyer's port.
Inland leg
Containers are stuffed at the grading factory or an inland container depot in Kampala, sealed and moved by truck through the Malaba or Busia border posts to Mombasa in two to three days. Uganda Railways resumed a container service for coffee exports in 2024–25, cutting freight costs on the Kampala–Mombasa corridor (Daily Monitor). The alternative southern route runs via Mutukula to Dar es Salaam. A licensed clearing agent files the customs export entry and coordinates the border and port. Government fees per export container were roughly UGX 189,000 (about US$50) plus inspection at 2025 rates.
Ocean transit
Indicative port-to-port transit times from Mombasa: 18–24 days to Mediterranean ports such as Genoa and Trieste; four to five weeks to Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg and UK ports; 28–35 days to the US East Coast; longer to the US West Coast, Australia and East Asia via trans-shipment; a few days to Jebel Ali. Add vessel waiting time at Mombasa and allow for schedule changes. Your forwarder quotes freight; we book against your nomination or arrange CFR on request.
Container mathematics
A 20 ft container carries 320 bags of 60 kg — 19.2 tonnes net — the standard unit in the Uganda trade. A 40 ft container is rarely used for coffee because of weight limits. Bulk-liner loading (loose green coffee in a container liner, discharged at destination by tipping) carries about 21 tonnes and suits industrial buyers with the receiving equipment. Bags are jute; hermetic liners (GrainPro or similar) are available on request for specialty lots or long, humid transits.
Weights, marks and sampling
Bags are marked with the lot or contract reference, grade, origin and bag number sequence. Shipping weight is established at stuffing; ECF and GCA contracts specify how shipped and landed weights are reconciled. Pre-shipment samples are drawn from the finished lot and retained; arrival samples are drawn by the buyer. See the importing guide for the full sequence.
Frequently asked questions
What documents come with a coffee shipment from Uganda?
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, ICO certificate of origin, quality certificate (pre-shipment inspection) and phytosanitary certificate, plus any certification documents and, for EU buyers, the EUDR data pack.
What is an ICO certificate of origin?
A certificate issued by the exporting country's coffee authority under the International Coffee Organization system, certifying origin and recording the shipment in ICO statistics. Importing customs authorities commonly require it for coffee.
Which port does Uganda coffee ship from?
Mombasa, Kenya, in almost all cases — two to three days by road or by rail from Kampala. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is an alternative.
How many bags of coffee fit in a 20 ft container?
320 bags of 60 kg, or 19.2 tonnes net, for bagged coffee. Bulk-liner loading carries about 21 tonnes.
Who pays for shipping under FOB Mombasa?
The buyer pays ocean freight and insurance from Mombasa onwards and handles import clearance and delivery. The seller pays everything up to loading the container on the vessel, including Ugandan inspection, documents and inland transport.