Introduction With the increasing use of slot charter arrangements in container shipping, bills of lading often contain references to both a slot carrier and an actual (operating) carrier, together with different bill of lading numbers. This can create uncertainty for document examiners. In this Q&A, Mr. Old Man explains what a slot carrier is and whether a difference between the …

Every day, Mr. Old Man receives questions on International Trade Finance and Documentary Credits from readers around the world. For more than 20 years, these questions have been one of the main reasons why www.mroldman.net has continued to grow into a valuable source of practical knowledge for trade finance professionals. Mr. Old Man sincerely appreciates every question he receives. In …

Mr. Old Man rất vui vì mỗi ngày đều nhận được các câu hỏi về Thanh toán quốc tế và Tài trợ thương mại từ bạn đọc trong và ngoài nước. Mr. Old Man chân thành cảm ơn vì suốt hơn 20 năm qua, chính những câu hỏi của các bạn đã góp phần làm cho website www.mroldman.net ngày càng …

A branch of a foreign bank in Ho Chi Minh City recently invited Mr. Old Man to join them as a Trade Finance consultant. However, like several previous invitations, he regretfully had to decline this valuable opportunity, primarily due to health reasons.It seems that even after retirement, Mr. Old Man continues to receive opportunities to do what he loves most. …

Introduction: Trade Finance is a fascinating field that combines banking, international trade, logistics, law, and risk management. Many professionals from different backgrounds are now considering it as a long-term career but often wonder where to start. The following question comes from a business analyst preparing for the IIBF-CITF certification and seeking guidance on building a solid foundation in international trade. …

Introduction A reader asked whether an issuing bank may agree to amend a letter of credit by removing the phrase “irrespective of percentage” from the insurance requirement. Would such an amendment create any risk for the bank, particularly where the insurance policy or certificate is required to be endorsed in favour of the issuing bank? The answer lies in understanding …

Introduction Under UCP 600, banks examine whether the documents presented comply with the terms and conditions of the letter of credit. A common question is whether an insurance document is acceptable when it provides broader insurance coverage than that stipulated in the credit. In this Q&A, Mr. Old Man explains why an insurance document evidencing Institute Cargo Clauses (A) (ICC …

Introduction When an applicant requests an amendment to increase the value of a documentary credit, banks often require supporting commercial documents to justify the amendment. But what if the beneficiary refuses to issue a revised proforma invoice or to indicate that the invoice has been revised? Is the issuing bank still able to process the amendment? The following Q&A discusses …

A transferable letter of credit allows the first beneficiary to transfer all or part of its rights under the credit to a second beneficiary. While UCP 600 permits certain terms of the transferred credit to be reduced or curtailed, not every provision may be changed. In this Q&A, a reader asks whether the deferred payment period in a transferred credit …

A bill of lading issued “to order” is commonly endorsed by the shipper after issuance to transfer title to the goods. But what happens if an endorsement is mistakenly made by the wrong party, then crossed out and replaced by the correct endorsement? Does such a change constitute a correction to the bill of lading requiring authentication under ISBP 821 …