“Commencing on the Same Means of Conveyance” — What Exactly Does Article 31(b) Mean? INTRO Every now and then, a single word in UCP 600 sparks an entire chain of questions. This time, it’s the word “commencing” in Article 31(b)—a term that often confuses practitioners when multiple bills of lading, pre-carriage, transshipment, and partial shipments are involved. Below is my detailed response to a reader’s excellent set of questions on how Article 31(b) interacts … Read More
LC Practice Insight: “Any Port in Vietnam” & Understanding ISBP 821 B2(e)(i) Alfred recently raised two excellent questions on port flexibility in LCs and the meaning of multiple on-board dates under ISBP. Here is a quick breakdown for practitioners: “Any port in Vietnam” — one port or multiple? When an LC states “shipment from any port in Vietnam”, the BL must show one specific port of loading (e.g., Hai Phong Port). It … Read More
When Four Routing Fields Appear… but the LC Still Asks for an AWB Every now and then, Mr. Old Man receives a question that quietly whispers: “Somebody drafted this LC on a Friday afternoon…” Today’s case is one of those — when the LC includes all four routing fields (44A, 44E, 44F, 44B) but still requires an Air Waybill. Let’s untangle the knot. QUESTION Dear Sir, Under airfreight with EXW – Seller’s Factory … Read More
Feeder Vs. Ocean Vessel: Which One Must the On Board Notation Indicate? Intro Under a port-to-port LC (fields 44E and 44F), the bank expects a marine bill of lading that evidences shipment on board the ocean-going vessel performing the voyage from the stated port of loading to the stated port of discharge. In practice, many BLs also show a pre-carriage or feeder vessel, and this sometimes leads to an on-board notation being … Read More
Can the Issuing Bank Refuse Based on the Applicant’s ‘Late Sailing’ Investigation? INTRO Every now and then, Mr. Old Man receives a question that perfectly illustrates how easily a clean, compliant LC presentation can get tangled when buyers panic—usually when prices fall. And very often, someone in the chain suddenly “investigates” and claims the vessel sailed late… even though the Bill of Lading says otherwise. So here’s a real case from India … Read More
TOLERANCE — UNDERSTANDING SUB-ARTICLE 30(c) INTRO Understanding sub-article 30(c) of UCP 600 can be tricky, especially when an LC specifies a fixed quantity and unit price. Many practitioners wonder how the credit amount can be reduced without causing a discrepancy. In this Q&A, Mr. Old Man clarifies the purpose of the 5% tolerance rule and illustrates it with a practical CIF example. QUESTION Dear Mr. … Read More
Can a Beneficiary Present Directly to the Issuing Bank? Intro In the world of letters of credit, everyone loves a shortcut — especially when it promises faster payment. It’s no surprise that beneficiaries often ask Mr. Old Man: “Why don’t I just send the documents straight to the issuing bank? Wouldn’t that speed things up? The confirming bank can be skipped, right?” It sounds simple, but in LC operations, … Read More
Unit Price in Invoice vs. Proforma Invoice – Discrepancy or Not? Intro Again, folks! Time for another round of LC puzzles with Mr. Old Man. This week’s classic case comes from the Himalayas (yes, the literal Himalayas!) where our friend Suraj at Himalayan Bank is wondering: “If the unit price in a presented commercial invoice differs from what was in the proforma invoice used when the LC was issued—but the LC … Read More
Freight Collect Vs. Freight As Arranged – Discrepancy or Not? Quick Question, Quick Answer by Mr. Old Man — 30 Seconds. Too fast too furious??? Read More
LC Document Compliance: Consignee Details on Certificate of Origin vs Bill of Lading Understanding ISBP 821 L5 — A Practical Q&A In trade finance, it’s not uncommon for exporters and document checkers to wonder how far they can “stretch” consignee information on different documents without triggering a discrepancy — especially when a bill of lading is issued “to order” and the certificate of origin (C/O) needs to name a consignee. This question from … Read More