Every trade finance practitioner has seen this moment—or at least worried about it. A nominated bank gives its word. It incurs a deferred payment undertaking, or accepts a draft. Then maturity arrives… and nothing happens. No payment. No honour. So the uncomfortable question arises: Is the beneficiary now exposed? The Rule Is Clear—Even If Reality Isn’t Under UCP 600 sub-articles …

A familiar situation in documentary credits: a few kilograms short, a few dollars less—and suddenly, Article 30(b) becomes the center of discussion. Does tolerance quietly apply, or does the LC still demand strict compliance? QUESTION Dear Mr. Old Man, Hope you are doing well. Request you to clarify below queries: Case Details: 1 LC allows 5/5 tolerance in LC Value. …

Introduction Most documentary collections behave themselves. Roles are clear, risks are understood, and the collecting bank stays where it belongs—in the middle, passing documents, not carrying obligations. But occasionally, a small detail slips through. A draft is drawn on the wrong party. Nothing looks dramatic, yet the legal position changes completely. And just like that, the collecting bank may find …

Intro In back-to-back LC transactions, questions about Incoterms often come not from the rules—but from the bank’s sense of risk. This case is a good example: what is legally allowed, and what is operationally wise, are not always the same thing. Question Hello Sir, We are doing back-to-back LC and our shipment is under charter party. Import is on FOB …

Intro: At first glance, UCP 600 article 24 (a)(i) seems straightforward. Yet the small word “or” often raises a practical question: must a transport document be both signed and indicate receipt of goods—or is one enough? The answer lies in reading the structure carefully, and in understanding how ISBP 821 complements (but does not change) the rule. Question Hi Sir, …

Intro MT999 is often used as a free format SWIFT message between banks. It looks simple and convenient. But when it is not authenticated, especially in documentary credit transactions, it may create risks that are not always clearly understood. QUESTION Dear Mr. Old Man, We would be interested to know how your bank treats non-authenticated SWIFT message MT999: How are …

Intro A small but recurring point of confusion in practice: when a credit is available by deferred payment, do we still need a bill of exchange—and if yes, who should it be drawn on? The answer is straightforward in principle, but often misunderstood in execution. Question Dear Sir, Good day! The LC shows: Available with: XYZ Bank Drawee: XYZ Bank …

Transferable LCs often look straightforward—but once you get into the details, they rarely are. When money is involved, two questions always come up: who gets paid, and when? And are we really dealing with two independent sets of documents? Let’s keep it simple.  QUESTION Dear Mr. Old Man, I have two questions regarding transferable letters of credit: When the second …

After many years working with Letters of Credit, I have come to a rather uncomfortable truth: Most of the time, things run smoothly. But the moment a set of documents starts to feel “off”, your heartbeat changes. And when the question arises — “What if the documents are forged?” — it is no longer a theoretical exercise. It becomes a …

Intro Most LC transactions pass quietly, exactly as they should. But every now and then, a set of documents raises a different kind of question—one that no banker enjoys facing. This Q&A revisits how banks should respond when presented documents turn out to be forged, and why the answer is rarely as straightforward as the rules suggest.  Question Dear Mr. …