Introduction In documentary credit examination, a small difference in wording can sometimes make a significant difference. But does “survey agent” satisfy a credit requirement for a “claim settling agent”? Here is a question on this point. Question Dear Mr. Old Man, I have a question for you. The LC states: “Insurance policy should indicate claim settling agent in the …

Introduction A question was raised about a transferable LC in which the original credit specifically requires the Commercial Invoice to be issued in the name of the Applicant. At first glance, this may appear to create a problem for the First Beneficiary’s right to substitute its own invoice under UCP 600 Article 38(h). However, Article 38(g) provides an important mechanism …

Intro A small detail, but an interesting one. A bill of lading shows the Place of Receipt and Port of Loading as the same place. At first glance, one might think there is no need to mention the port of loading in the on-board notation. But what if the B/L also indicates a means of pre-carriage? That seemingly minor detail …

A question from Jawad Ahmed, Pakistan, raises two interesting issues in documentary credits: Can an LC requirement be deleted by amendment after documents have already been presented and a discrepancy has been raised? Can the requirement for a draft at sight in Field 42C be removed? Here is my answer. Question Dear Sir, Hope you are doing well. I wanted …

Introduction When a letter of credit is available by negotiation and Field 42C identifies the Issuing Bank as the drawee, does the beneficiary necessarily have to present a draft? Or can the Issuing Bank reject the documents if no draft is presented? This question from Firas raises an interesting point about the role of drafts under documentary credits and, in …

A question from Jawad Ahmed, Pakistan, regarding the relationship between the latest date of shipment, the actual shipment date and the period for presentation under an LC. Question Dear Sir, I hope you are doing well. I wanted to ask regarding the subject matter. Can you please clarify Field 44C, i.e. the latest date of shipment, and the shipped on …

Introduction This question illustrates a common misunderstanding: a presentation period stipulated in the LC does not operate independently of the LC expiry date. Even where the stipulated period extends beyond the expiry date, the beneficiary cannot use that period to keep the credit alive after expiry. Question Dear Mr. Old Man, LC expiry date: 1/8/2026 Latest shipment date: 1/8/2026 Field …

Introduction The wording used in a letter of credit can sometimes appear more demanding than the wording normally used on a transport document. This raises an interesting practical question: when an L/C requires a “clean shipped on board” bill of lading, can a B/L showing only “shipped on board” be accepted? In this case, the shipping line’s policy does not …

Introduction A question sometimes arises when a documentary credit requires a certificate to be issued by one of several parties, expressed using slash marks, but the presented certificate appears on the beneficiary’s letterhead while being signed and stamped by a freight forwarder. The question is whether the difference between the letterhead and the signatory constitutes a discrepancy. Question Dear Mr. …

Question Cháu chào chú ạ, Hiện tại cháu đang công tác tại Phòng Thanh toán quốc tế của Ngân hàng. Cháu có một số câu hỏi muốn nhờ chú giải đáp vì cháu chưa có nhiều kinh nghiệm trong việc thanh toán đối với doanh nghiệp kinh doanh chuyển khẩu hàng hóa. Đây là một công ty Việt Nam kinh …