Koridor User Guide

Koridor is an AI-powered trade assistant for freight forwarders on the Mombasa corridor and East Africa. You can use it two ways: through WhatsApp, with nothing to download and no setup, or through a web application you sign in to at kori-dor.com. Both share one account and the same shipments. Send a commercial invoice and get your HS codes, duty estimates, and document checklist back fast, usually in under a minute.

Koridor supports 8 languages: English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Arabic, Amharic, and Hausa.

How to start:

1. Save this WhatsApp number: +1 (555) 951-9978
2. Open WhatsApp and send a message — say hello, or send an invoice photo to jump straight in
3. You can also just type a product name — like ‘brake pads’ or ‘classify coffee beans’ — and get an instant HS code
4. Choose your preferred language
5. On WhatsApp there is no signup and no verification — message the bot and start with your first ten classifications free. The web application, covered below, does ask you to confirm your number once when you create an account.

Koridor now works two ways. You can use it entirely through WhatsApp with nothing to set up, or you can sign in to the web application at kori-dor.com and work from your browser. Both share one account and the same shipments, so a shipment you classify on WhatsApp is waiting for you on the web, and the reverse. WhatsApp stays the quick channel for the field; the web app is the desk surface, with a dashboard, search, and a place to keep your own records.

Creating a web account

Sign up once with your email, your WhatsApp number, your KIFWA membership number (optional), your name, and your agreement to the consent terms. A 6-digit code is sent to your WhatsApp number to confirm it is you. Enter the code and your account is ready.

Already use Koridor on WhatsApp? Sign up with that same WhatsApp number and your web account links to your existing one, so all your past shipments are there. You are one account either way, not two.

Logging in

There is no password. You sign in with a short code, two ways:

• By number: send LOGIN to the Koridor WhatsApp number, then enter your number and the 6-digit code it sends back.
• By email: enter your email on the login page. The code is sent to your linked WhatsApp number, codes always arrive on WhatsApp, never by email, and you enter it to sign in.

Your dashboard

The dashboard lists every shipment under your account by its KOR reference, showing the client, your status, the corridor, the invoice value, and the date, laid out as a register you can scan. Search by a client name or bill of lading number to find a past shipment, or switch to the By client view to see all the shipments you have handled for a repeat customer.

Shipment detail

Open any shipment to see the full picture on one page: each classified line with its provenance label (gazette, CET, or unverified), the computed tax table with the legal authority cited for every charge, the regulatory permits in clearing order, your generated documents with PDF links, and the customs-entry status. A pinned header keeps the reference and the estimated taxes payable in view as you scroll.

The same page is where you keep your own records for a shipment: the duty and taxes you actually paid (shown next to Koridor's estimate so you can see the difference), the client, bill of lading, and entry numbers you use to find it later, and a status and notes. These are clearly marked as entered by you and kept separate from Koridor's computed figures.

Classifying on the web

Go to Classify, then either paste a product description or upload a commercial invoice as an image or PDF. The same classification runs as on WhatsApp, and the new shipment opens when it is done. From there you can enter a customs value to get the full cited tax table, generate the document set with one click, and refine the 8-digit EAC code on any unverified line.

Landed-Cost Worksheet

Koridor's full landed-cost calculation lives in the web app at kori-dor.com/dashboard/quote. Open a classified shipment, enter the CIF value (invoice plus freight plus insurance), and the worksheet returns the complete duty and tax build for that shipment: import duty on the correct CIF base, VAT, the Import Declaration Fee (IDF), and the Railway Development Levy (RDL), each shown with the rate applied, plus an estimate of port handling. It calculates on the current gazette duty rate for the code, so the figure reflects the rate in force.

The worksheet is the place for a full, itemized cost figure you can keep against the shipment. It replaced the older in-chat quote, which could not compute duty on the correct CIF base.

If you only need a quick duty and tax figure without leaving WhatsApp, send TAXES after a classification. Koridor replies in the chat with the duty, VAT, IDF, and RDL for that shipment. For the full itemized worksheet, use the web app.

Your account

The account page shows your details: your email, WhatsApp number, association and membership number, and your consent status. You can manage your data-processing consent there at any time. You can withdraw it, which pauses processing immediately, and you can restore it later from the same page by agreeing to the current terms. Withdrawing on the web is the same as sending WITHDRAW on WhatsApp, and restoring it is the same as sending AGREE.

Koridor’s core feature. Send a commercial invoice and get back HS codes, duty estimates, restricted goods warnings, pre-shipment inspection requirements, and a full document checklist.

Every classification now includes a complete cost picture: HS codes with duty rates from official EAC Gazette publications, origin port charges (with full breakdowns for Shanghai, Mumbai, Dubai, Guangzhou, and Istanbul), destination port charges, inland transport costs for landlocked destinations (Nairobi ICD and Kampala ICD), pre-shipment inspection requirements, and CO&sub2; emissions estimates.

Accepted formats: phone photo, PDF, typed text, voice note.

After the short summary:

• Reply MORE for full details (quantities, values, duty calculations, documents, PSI)
• Reply WHY for classification basis (how each HS code was determined)
• Reply DOCS to generate trade documents
• Reply TRACK to link a container

Tips: Camera photos work better than screenshots. For multi-page invoices, send each page separately.

You do not need a full commercial invoice to get an HS code. Koridor accepts four types of quick classification input:

Just type the product name. Send any product description and Koridor classifies it instantly.

Examples: ‘automotive battery 12V’, ‘dried hibiscus flowers’, ‘Portland cement bags’

Use the classify command. Type ‘classify’ followed by the product, optionally with a destination.

Examples: ‘classify brake pads’, ‘classify solar panels to Kenya’, ‘what is the HS code for canned tuna’

Send a numbered list. If you are checking multiple products, number them.

Examples: ‘1. Car side mirrors’, ‘2. Ceramic floor tiles’, ‘3. Motorcycle helmets’

Ask naturally. Koridor understands natural questions about codes.

Examples: ‘what tariff code for roasted coffee’, ‘what is the HS code for palm oil refined’

When no destination country is provided, Koridor returns the 6-digit international HS code and asks one follow-up question: ‘Reply with the destination country for duty rates, documents, and inspection requirements.’ Once you provide the destination, you get the full picture: EAC 8-digit code, gazetted duty rate, required documents, port charges, and inspection requirements.

If the description is too vague (like ‘spare parts’ or ‘electronics’), Koridor asks for more detail with helpful examples instead of guessing.

After any classification, type WHY for a quick summary of how each HS code was determined.

The in-chat WHY gives you 1–2 lines per item: which WCO General Interpretive Rule was applied, which heading or chapter note was determinative, and the confidence level. This is designed for quick reference — check the code basis in seconds.

For the full legal analysis, type WHY PDF. Koridor generates a professional classification report with:

• Complete GIR 1–6 walkthrough for each item
• Section and Chapter Note citations
• WCO Explanatory Note references
• Alternative codes considered and why they were ruled out
• Legal disclaimer

The PDF is formatted for sharing with customs officers, clearing agents, or compliance teams. Each report includes the Koridor reference number, date, and corridor information.

Use it when:

• A customs officer questions a code
• Double-checking before filing a declaration
• Training staff on classification logic
• Building a compliance file for recurring shipments

For shipments to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, or South Sudan, Koridor provides 8-digit codes from the official EAC Common External Tariff 2022 with exact duty rates.

The standard HS code is 6 digits (product category). The EAC extends to 8 digits (exact duty rate at the border). This eliminates the need to look up national subheadings separately.

After classifying an invoice, reply DOCS to generate a packing list, certificate of origin, and customs declaration. Available as WhatsApp messages and downloadable PDFs. Type DOWNLOAD KOR-XXXX to get links again later.

Note: Some fields are estimated from invoice data. Verify dimensions and weights before submission.

After any classification, type EXPORT to download your classification data in a structured CSV format ready for import into customs declaration systems like Kenya’s iCMS, Tanzania’s TANCIS, or any ASYCUDA-based system.

How to use it:

• export — downloads the most recent classification
• export KOR-XXXX — downloads a specific shipment
• export all — downloads all classifications from the last 30 days

You get a link to a preview page showing all your data in a table, plus a Download CSV button. The CSV includes 27 fields matching customs declaration formats: HS codes (both 8-digit dotted and raw digit formats), commodity descriptions, origin/destination country codes, quantities, values, duty rates, tariff references, and seller/buyer details.

A second section in the file lists all required documents for the shipment with their categories (Standard, Commodity-specific, PSI).

Why this matters:

Instead of retyping classification data into your customs system, download the CSV and use it to populate your declaration. This reduces data-entry errors and can save time on each filing.

Upload trade documents at kori-dor.com/check for AI validation against compliance standards and institution-specific rejection patterns. Issues are grouped by severity: Critical, Warning, Suggestion.

An LC rejection can be expensive in bank charges and delays. The checker helps catch errors before submission.

Send any container number to get real-time vessel position, ETA, port status, and route information. Type TRACK after a classification to link a container to that shipment.

Every classification generates a shareable web link. Anyone can view it — no account needed. The link shows HS codes, duty estimates, classification reasoning, and documents. Share links generate WhatsApp preview cards when pasted into a chat.

Type roo [product] from [origin] to [destination] to check if your goods qualify for preferential tariff rates under EAC, COMESA, SADC, or AfCFTA trade agreements.

Example: roo coffee from Kenya to Uganda

Koridor shows the applicable trade agreement, standard vs preferential rate, estimated savings, origin criteria (wholly obtained, change in tariff heading, or 30% value added), and which certificate of origin you need. For intra-EAC classifications, preferential tariff information appears automatically in the classification output.

Port charges appear automatically on every classification where Koridor recognizes the origin and destination ports. You also get them by typing port mombasa or port dar es salaam (add 40ft for 40-foot container rates).

Origin port charges: For the five busiest ports serving African corridors — Shanghai, Mumbai JNPT, Dubai/Jebel Ali, Guangzhou, and Istanbul — Koridor shows a full breakdown: terminal handling (TEU and FEU), documentation and BL fees, container sealing, VGM weighing, terminal surcharges (including seasonal notes), total estimated charges range, and free storage days. Other origin ports show THC only.

Destination port charges: Mombasa and Dar es Salaam have full breakdowns from published tariff schedules (KPA Tariff 2025 and TPA Revised Tariff 2026): documentation, handling, security, wharfage, storage with its free days and per-day rates, including the steeper rate that applies to a long dwell, and a total estimate.

Inland transport (ICD charges): For landlocked destinations, Koridor automatically adds a third section showing inland transport costs. Nairobi-bound cargo sees SGR rail and road options from Mombasa with ICD handling and storage charges. Kampala-bound cargo sees three route options (via Malaba, Busia, or from Dar es Salaam via Mutukula) with ICD handling, storage, and a note about the URA transit bond requirement.

All port data shows ‘Data as of May 2026’ for transparency. These are published tariff rates — large shippers may have negotiated discounts. The ‘Verify with clearing agent’ note makes this clear.

The exposure clock, at kori-dor.com/dashboard/exposure, estimates what a container is accruing while it sits, so you can see the cost of a delay before it lands. It shows two separate clocks, because they are two different charges from two different parties.

Enter the carrier, the container size, the discharge date, and the date you expect to clear, and Koridor returns two figures. Port storage, which is what the port charges to hold the container, comes from the published KPA tariff: four free days from discharge, then a per-day storage rate through day 21, then a steeper rate from day 22 onward, with the 20-foot and 40-foot rates differing. This figure is shown as sourced from the port tariff. Equipment detention, which is what the carrier charges for keeping their container past the free time, is a planning reference drawn from carrier return policies and is shown as an estimate with the date it was last verified. It is not an authority tariff to clear on, and the page says so; confirm the live detention rate with your carrier or depot before you pay.

Koridor also shows a combined figure, but read it as a clearly labeled worst case: the sum of both clocks as of your target date, which assumes the container is subject to both at once. The real split depends on when the container actually leaves the port, which Koridor does not track yet. Treat the two separate figures as the primary reading and the combined number as an upper bound.

Today the exposure clock covers Mombasa, the port with a fully sourced storage tariff. It is a web feature. On WhatsApp, send PORT for a port-charge estimate.

Koridor estimates the CO&sub2; footprint of every shipment using the GLEC Framework — the same methodology used by DHL, Kuehne+Nagel, and other major logistics companies.

Automatic on most classifications: Emissions appear automatically when Koridor can determine the shipment weight. If your invoice lists weight in kilograms, that is used directly. If your invoice lists quantities in packaging (bags, drums, cartons, coils, bales), Koridor estimates weight from the packaging type and shows the calculation: ‘Weight: ~12,500 kg (est: 500 bags x 25 kg avg)’. For items counted in pieces or sets, weight cannot be estimated and emissions are skipped.

Two vessel classes: Intercontinental sea routes (e.g., Shanghai to Mombasa) use a deep-sea emission factor. Intra-continental and coastal routes (e.g., Durban to Mombasa) use a higher feeder vessel factor. The methodology label shows which was used.

Multimodal routing: For landlocked destinations like Kampala or Kigali, emissions automatically split into sea and road legs with separate calculations for each.

60+ pre-calculated routes: Koridor has actual shipping lane distances for the most common trade corridors serving Africa, including routes via the Suez Canal. Uncovered corridors use a great-circle estimate with a routing multiplier.

You can also calculate emissions directly: type emissions 5000kg road Mombasa to Kampala or just emissions and Koridor walks you through entering the details.

Type alerts to see recent regulatory changes affecting your corridors. Koridor infers relevant countries from your classification history. Type alerts tanzania or alerts kenya to filter by country.

Alerts are tagged by severity (high, medium, low) and cover tariff changes, new requirements, process changes, port closures, and trade agreement updates across EAC, COMESA, and AfCFTA.

Type return maersk mombasa to check the empty container return depot, free days, detention rates, and operating hours for a specific carrier at a port. Covers Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM, COSCO, and PIL at Mombasa and Dar es Salaam.

Return information also appears automatically after container tracking results when the container is arriving at Mombasa or Dar es Salaam.

Type detention to report detention charges on a container. Koridor asks for the container number, whether you were charged, the amount, and the reason for delay. Your data helps build intelligence on real detention costs at EAC ports.

Type practice to get a randomly generated product description and test your HS chapter knowledge. Koridor generates realistic EAC trade commodities and checks your answer against the correct classification.

Difficulty levels:

• practice easy — common products (coffee, tea, rice, cement)
• practice hard — ambiguous products requiring careful analysis
• practice roo — Rules of Origin scenarios (does it qualify for EAC preference?)
• practice chapter 09 — focus on a specific HS chapter

After every 10 quizzes, Koridor shows your score. Use it to train staff on classification fundamentals.

Type focus KOR-XXXX to set a shipment as your active context. All subsequent commands reference that shipment automatically. Type focus to clear and see all active shipments.

Type invite +[phone number] to add colleagues to your company account. All team members see shared shipments. No per-seat fees.

HS Code

Harmonized System code. A 6-digit international product classification maintained by the World Customs Organization. Used by 200+ countries.

EAC CET

East African Community Common External Tariff. The unified 8-digit tariff schedule for EAC member states with specific duty rates.

KOR Reference

Koridor’s shipment tracking number (e.g. KOR-0042). Assigned to every classification for reference and tracking.

PVoC

Pre-export Verification of Conformity. Required by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda for certain imported goods.

PSI

Pre-Shipment Inspection. Physical inspection of goods before export, required by some destination countries.

SONCAP

Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme. Nigeria’s mandatory conformity assessment for regulated products.

Confidence Score

Koridor’s estimate of classification accuracy. HIGH (85%+), MEDIUM (60–84%), LOW (<60%).

Corridor

A specific trade route between two countries (e.g. Nigeria → Netherlands). Koridor tracks 63+ corridors.

WCO

World Customs Organization. Maintains the Harmonized System used for international trade classification.

UCP 600

Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits. ICC rules governing Letters of Credit.

GIR

General Interpretation Rules. The 6 rules in the Harmonized System that govern how goods are classified when the heading descriptions are ambiguous.

ICD

Inland Container Depot. A facility away from the seaport where containers are cleared through customs. Nairobi ICD (Embakasi) and Kampala ICD are the main ICDs for East African landlocked trade.

SGR

Standard Gauge Railway. Kenya’s modern rail line connecting Mombasa port to Nairobi ICD. Faster and cheaper than road for full container loads. Same-day or overnight transit.

GLEC Framework

Global Logistics Emissions Council Framework. The international standard methodology for calculating freight transport emissions, used by Koridor for CO₂ estimates.

CET

Common External Tariff. A unified schedule of duty rates applied by all members of a customs union (like the EAC) on goods imported from outside the union.

• Not a customs broker — does not file declarations or clear goods
• Not legal advice — classifications are informational
• Does not guarantee duty rates — exemptions, preferential agreements, and changes may apply
• Does not replace professional judgment — edge cases need human expertise

• WhatsApp: +1 (555) 951-9978
• Web: kori-dor.com
• Privacy: kori-dor.com/privacy
• Document Checker: kori-dor.com/check
• Email: martin.scanlon@kori-dor.com