Interview with Alioune Ciss, CEO of Webb Fontaine
Driven by a steadfast mission to challenge conventional practices, Webb Fontaine offers innovative and transformative solutions for trade facilitation. With unique expertise in trade and Customs, Webb Fontaine empowers governments and businesses to rethink and transform the way they conduct trade.
A pivotal aspect of modern trade facilitation is Advance Cargo Information (ACI). Developed under the World Customs Organization (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards, Webb Fontaine’s ACI technology underscores Webb Fontaine's commitment to trade modernisation in Africa and beyond. Webb ACI provides an intuitive platform that streamlines the entire ACI lifecycle for all stakeholders, enhancing transparency, efficiency, and security while driving revenue growth.
Webb ACI acts as the stepping stone for the implementation of a pre-arrival declaration scheme. It is fully interfaced with Customs Management Systems and can be combined with optional modules for valuation and classification.
By reducing port congestion and illegal activities, Webb ACI enhances import processes. It empowers Customs and regulatory agencies to make informed decisions, secure the secure supply chain, optimise resource allocation, and proactively manage risk before the cargo arrives.
What is Webb ACI?
Webb ACI is the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) system developed by Webb Fontaine. It facilitates the timely and transparent creation and approval of advanced cargo declarations, in line with the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards. These declarations conform to internationally recognised formats, ensuring standardisation and interoperability across borders.
The platform provides an intuitive interface that simplifies the pre-arrival declaration lifecycle for all users – Customs, port operators, brokers, and importers. It includes a robust risk management engine that allows Customs administrations to assess risk profiles in advance, supporting decisions on inspection levels before the arrival of shipments.
Webb ACI supports both imports and exports, covering all cargo formats: full container loads (FCL), less container loads (LCL), RoRo shipments with VIN tracking, as well as all bulk and break-bulk cargo. The system remains synchronised with Customs Management Systems to reflect real-time updates on tariff schedules, HS codes, licensed importers, exchange rates, and more.
It also opens the possibility for full pre-arrival clearance and duty payment – significantly accelerating cargo release times.
How can Webb ACI address challenges faced by international trade?
By allowing Customs checks to begin before goods arrive, Webb ACI enables faster clearance and streamlined processing. Resources can be allocated to higher-risk shipments while low-risk consignments are expedited, reducing dwell times and costs.
This proactive model improves supply chain predictability and security, helps curb illicit trade, and contributes to a fair and competitive trading environment where compliant traders are rewarded with efficiency.
How customisable is the technology to accommodate trade regulations?
Webb Fontaine builds all its solutions to be highly configurable and adaptable. Thanks to seamless integration with Customs Management Systems, Webb ACI reflects ongoing updates in tariff structures, HS classifications, trader registries, and regulatory adjustments.
Aligned with the WCO Data Model and SAFE Framework, Webb ACI ensures compliance with global best practices while remaining flexible to local legal and operational contexts.
Optional modules such as Webb Valuation (For AI-driven valuation and HS code suggestions) and Paylican (for digital invoicing and payments) can be integrated for even greater functionality.
Security is a major concern in trade. How do you ensure the technology offers enhanced security in supply chains?
Webb ACI incorporates an advanced risk management module that enables Customs to assess shipment risk using historical data, trader behaviour, and national intelligence inputs. Non-compliant trends trigger alerts that may lead to intensified scrutiny or denied offloading at the port.
In addition, Webb ACI integrates Know Your Customer (KYC) mechanisms to vet exporters and shipping entities upstream. This helps authorities validate the identity, reliability, and compliance history of trading partners, significantly reducing exposure to fraud and illicit networks. By combining pre-arrival cargo data with exporter profiling, Webb ACI enables a smarter, more secure supply chain environment. To significantly ease the task of Vetting Officers, the Webb ACI KYC module integrates an AI-powered web crawler that automatically scans the Internet for publicly available information on the exporter/shipper under review, delivering a concise reputation report within seconds.
How do you transfer skills to ensure smooth adoption of the ACI processes?
We believe that capacity-building must go hand in hand with technology deployment. The configuration of Webb ACI is conducted jointly with local Customs administrations to ensure full alignment with national workflows.
Operational teams include both Webb Fontaine staff and local officers from day one, ensuring knowledge transfer through hands-on experience. Over time, responsibility shifts to fully trained Customs officers.
To ensure sustainability, a long-term ownership license is transferred to the government at the end of the implementation cycle.
How do you envision ACI’s impact on the continent’s trade landscape in the coming years?
As countries adopt pre-arrival processing systems like Webb ACI, we expect a paradigm shift in African trade facilitation. Clearance will be faster, costs will drop, and the ability to manage supply chain risk will significantly improve.
This will directly support regional integration goals, such as those of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and position African economies as agile, attractive trade partners in the global market.
Originally published on Pan African Visions
