Intro  One of the recurring sources of confusion in trade finance arises when Incoterms® are mechanically copied into a letter of credit without considering what those rules actually require — or do not require.  A typical example is an LC issued on DDP terms that nevertheless calls for the presentation of an insurance policy or certificate. Is that correct? And …

Intro In practice, documents are often presented to a nominated bank close to the LC expiry date and then forwarded onward to a confirming bank. This raises a recurring question: does the confirming bank have the right to refuse simply because the documents reach its counter after expiry?  The following scenario illustrates why forwarding time must not be confused with …

Intro One of the most common — and often unnecessary — discrepancies raised in document examination relates to the format of dates shown on transport documents. Examiners sometimes hesitate when a date is expressed numerically rather than with the month stated in words. But does such hesitation have any basis under ISBP 821? Let’s look at a straightforward example. __________ …

Intro  Credits often require that documents “indicate the L/C reference,” but do not always specify which reference is meant. Is it the issuing bank’s LC number? Or could a negotiating bank expect its own reference to appear on the documents? Mr. Old Man looks at this question through the lens of UCP 600 and ISBP 821. Question Dear Mr. Old …

Introduction The United Nations’ formal adoption of a new convention on negotiable cargo documents — the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (New York, 2025), also known as the Accra Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents — marks a notable development in international trade law. For the first time, the negotiability of transport documents — long primarily associated with ocean …

Intro One of the most common — and persistent — areas of confusion in document examination arises when a credit requires an ocean bill of lading, but the routing information in the L/C or the transport document refers to an inland final destination. Does this automatically turn the document into a multimodal transport document to be examined under UCP 600 …

Can Documents Still Be Presented — and Should the LC Be Amended? Intro  In international trade, accidents at sea are not uncommon. Fires, groundings, and collisions may lead to cargo damage and the declaration of General Average by the carrier or salvor. When such events occur before documents are presented under a letter of credit, issuing banks are often confronted …

When ISBP Default Rules Meet an Express LC Requirement One of the most common misunderstandings in document checking arises from relying on ISBP default provisions while overlooking what the credit itself expressly requires. A typical example is the commercial invoice: ISBP tells us when an invoice need not be signed — but what happens when the LC explicitly calls for …

INTRODUCTION Questions about whether a confirming bank is also a nominated bank may sound academic at first glance, but in practice they can become critically important — especially when a credit involves more than one confirming bank, a specific place of expiry, and documents moving across several borders. This Q&A examines a real-life scenario involving two confirming banks and explores …

Clarifying Quantity Requirements When an LC Covers Multiple Lots In practice, letters of credit covering multiple lots of goods often give rise to misunderstandings about whether each lot may be shipped separately — and how the limit on the number of shipments should be interpreted.  On this occasion, let’s take a look at an interesting scenario raised by our colleague …