Introduction A reader recently asked whether I have encountered an LC requiring both ocean and land transport documents under the same LC and what risks such an arrangement may create for the beneficiary and the applicant. That is enough—it sets up the Q&A naturally without giving away the answer. Question Dear Mr. Old Man, I’d like to ask you a …

Introduction A documentary credit normally requires a commercial invoice, but does UCP 600 limit the presentation to only one invoice when a single shipment contains goods of different origins? Dani raises an interesting practical question concerning a shipment containing both Country A-origin goods and goods of other origins. Because the importer needs preferential-origin treatment for the Country A goods, the …

 Introduction When a charter party bill of lading (CPBL) is issued “to order”, the question of who should endorse it can become less straightforward when the shipper is described as acting “on behalf of” another party. ISBP 821, paragraph G12, provides specific guidance on this issue, and ICC Banking Commission Opinion TA944rev further clarifies the acceptability of an endorsement by …

Intro Another interesting question on documentary examination: the documents were allegedly presented to the nominated bank within the stipulated presentation period, but the bank’s covering schedule was dated after the latest date for presentation. The schedule also contained a certification that the documents were presented within the credit validity. Does that certification prevent the issuing bank from raising a “late …

Introduction A practical question has arisen concerning a D/P (Documents against Payment) collection involving goods of Sudanese origin. The goods—watermelon seeds—were shipped from Sudan and have already arrived at customs. The importer intends to make payment in AED to the beneficiary in Dubai. The collecting bank received an MT199 from Mashreq Bank New York setting out its sanctions and internal …

Introduction An issuing bank assumes a primary obligation to honor a complying presentation under article 7 of UCP 600. However, beneficiaries occasionally raise a more difficult question: What happens if the issuing bank becomes insolvent, is subject to international sanctions, or is otherwise unable to fulfill its undertaking? Would the central bank, the ministry of finance, or another government authority …

It is common for documentary credits to require that all presented documents indicate the credit number. In practice, however, typographical errors occasionally occur. A frequently asked question is whether an issuing bank may refuse documents when the credit number appears incorrectly, even though the mistake is merely the result of a typing error. The following question concerns a situation in …

Under a sight letter of credit, the issuing bank is required to honour a complying presentation. However, UCP 600 also grants banks up to five banking days to examine the documents. The question often arises whether an issuing bank that effects payment after the expiry of the five-day examination period is liable to pay late-payment interest, particularly when the credit …

A recurring question in documentary credit practice is whether the date of issue of a bill of lading may be treated as the shipment date when the document is pre-printed “Received for Shipment” but also bears the wording “Clean On Board”. The answer is not always straightforward and depends on the interaction between UCP 600, ISBP 821, and ICC Banking …

Introduction: The interpretation of documentary requirements containing multiple alternatives linked by the word “or” can sometimes lead to different conclusions between the issuing bank and the beneficiary. The following case concerns an L/C clause requiring a certificate relating to the treatment of wood packing material, where the issuing bank and the beneficiary bank adopted different interpretations of the same wording. …