Intro: Every so often, LC practitioners stumble upon shipping terms that spark debate. One such term is “Loose Container”—often seen on draft or final Bills of Lading. Does it simply describe the cargo, or does it trigger a discrepancy under an LC? Let’s look at a real query from PSP and unpack the answer. QUESTION Dear Mr. Old Man, …

Intro: One of the recurring headaches in L/C practice is what to do with discrepant documents. The beneficiary wants their money, the nominated bank worries about reimbursement, and the issuing bank sits in the middle waiting for the applicant’s word. A common query is whether the issuing bank can “pre-approve” or authorize payment against documents with discrepancies, and what that …

This case highlights the risks for presenting banks when discounting a deferred payment undertaking (DPU) without explicit authorization from the issuing bank. It also illustrates how local court orders—particularly in jurisdictions that favor domestic parties—can override payment expectations under an LC, leaving the negotiating bank exposed. Fact Summary The issuing bank in Iraq incurred a deferred payment undertaking under an …

Năm 2017, Mr. Old Man chính thức xây dựng trang web www.mroldman.net dựa trên nền tảng của website cùng tên trên WordPress và blog từ thời Yahoo 360. Ban đầu, trang web chủ yếu đăng các bài viết và Q&A tư vấn về nghiệp vụ thanh toán quốc tế và tài trợ thương mại. Sau này, khi bắt đầu đam mê xe …

Intro: Sometimes in trade finance, a small action like endorsing a bill of lading too soon can create a big legal headache. What happens if a bank endorses the BL, then cancels that endorsement and returns the documents due to discrepancies? Here’s Mr. Old Man’s take — plus practical tips for both the beneficiary and the issuing bank on how …

  Intro: In practice, there have been cases where LCs available by negotiation with confirming banks state that drafts be drawn on the confirming bank. This does not comply with Article 2 of UCP 600. Where an LC contains such a term, should the draft be drawn on the confirming bank or the issuing bank? ______ QUESTION Dear Sir, Can …

Hôm trước đang thong dong đạp xe dọc đường Bạch Đằng Mr. Old Man tình cờ gặp lại khách hàng ngày xưa – vừa rất cũ và cũng vừa rất già. Nói vậy,  bởi khi Mr. Old Man mới chân ướt chân ráo vào Vietcombank Đà Nẵng đã gọi vị khách hàng này bằng chú rồi, giờ Mr. Old Man …

Intro: A recent LC case raised a dispute over alleged “conflicting information” between the consignee stated in a Certificate of Inspection and that shown in the bill of lading. The issuing bank cited UCP 600 Article 14(d) to justify refusal, while the beneficiary argued that ISBP 821 allows such differences under specific circumstances. Here’s Mr. Old Man’s take on whether …

Intro: Applicable where the final unit price is to be determined based on London Metal Exchange (LME) quotations around the shipment date. The following clause ensures price calculation is objective, documentary evidence is provided, and the maximum price cap is observed. QUESTION Dear Mr. Old Man, Hope you are doing well. Need your guidance in regard to LC Issuance for …

By Nguyen Huu Duc (Mr. Old Man) Recently, the author has received numerous questions from colleagues at banks and from exporters regarding letters of credit (LCs) issued by non-bank issuers via SWIFT message MT 710. In many cases, not only the exporter but also the bank has ended up “tasting the bitter fruit” from dealing with such LCs. This article …