We are a Japanese exporter shipping used tires by the container. This page answers the question every Senegalese buyer asks before a first order: is importing still allowed?
The short answer is yes, and here is why the press suggests otherwise.
We checked the primary sources. The document the Primature published in January 2023 instructs three ministries to submit a bill within fifteen days. That is not a ban — it is an instruction to draft one.
No decree, no law and no corresponding vote appears in the official gazette or in the National Assembly’s records.
The 2023 ban, and what the texts actually say
In January 2023, after a coach crash, the government announced twenty-three road safety measures, one of which was a ban on importing used tires. The press covered it widely. Many buyers therefore believe importing is prohibited.
What we found, and what we did not find:
- The Ministry of Trade later clarified that this was not an immediate ban but part of a medium and long term strategy
- Senegalese Customs’ list of prohibited goods does not mention used tires
- Japanese customs statistics show continued exports to Senegal — 31,882 pieces in June 2026 alone
That said, customs practice can diverge from the written text. The risk of an occasional administrative hold is not zero, and we recommend confirming the current position with your clearing agent in Dakar before you order.
Duties, taxes and pre-shipment inspection
Senegal applies the UEMOA common external tariff, with a 1% statistical levy and the 0.8% UEMOA community solidarity levy on top.
Any import with an FOB value of 3,000,000 FCFA or more is subject to a pre-shipment inspection programme run by COTECNA. A container of tires normally exceeds that threshold, so allow for the step in your schedule.
The ocean route
Dakar is the point of entry. It is also the head of the Dakar–Bamako corridor: the port holds bonded warehouses for freight in transit to Mali. If your end customer is Malian, that is arranged at booking rather than on arrival.
We load from thirteen Japanese ports — Ishikari, Tomakomai, Hachinohe, Akita, Sendai, Niigata, Kashiwazaki, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe and Moji. Which one we use depends on where the stock is collected, not on where you are.
The durations on the map are orders of magnitude for a transhipment routing. Carrier, routing and port congestion all move them, so we give you the schedule we are actually being quoted when you enquire.
What fits in a container
- Passenger car tires (PCR), 12–17 inch — about 3,500 pieces in a 40ft, loaded 2-in-1 or 3-in-1
- Truck and bus tires (TBR), 11R22.5 single size — 288 pieces in a 40ft
- Mixed PCR and light truck — roughly 2,200 PCR plus 500–550 LT pieces
Full size lists and grading are on the category pages: passenger car tires, truck & bus tires, light truck tires and casings for retreading.
Terms and payment
We quote CIF to your discharge port. Marine insurance is included on every shipment. Freight is normally prepaid in Japan; collect at your end can be arranged if that suits your bank better.
Most customers pay by T/T. For a yearly contract we also work with L/C at sight.
FAQ — importing used tires from Japan to Senegal
Is importing used tires into Senegal banned?
Not as far as we can establish. The measure announced in January 2023 was an instruction to draft a bill, not a ban. No corresponding decree or law appears in the official gazette, and used tires are not on Customs’ prohibited list. Confirm with your clearing agent before ordering all the same.
Is pre-shipment inspection required?
Yes above an FOB value of 3,000,000 FCFA: the import verification programme is run by COTECNA. A full container normally exceeds that threshold.
Can the cargo transit onward to Mali?
Yes. The port of Dakar holds bonded warehouses for freight in transit to Mali and is the head of the Dakar–Bamako corridor. Tell us at the enquiry stage.
What is the minimum order?
One 40ft container. We do not ship part loads, because the freight cost per tire stops making sense below a full container.
Can I mix sizes in one container?
Yes. Give us the sizes and roughly what share of each you want and we build the load around that.
Request an offer for Senegal
Send us your discharge port, the sizes you want and the rough quantity. We reply with a CIF price and the loading schedule.
How the buying process works — from the first enquiry through inspection, loading and documents.
