Incoterms
Have you ever seen the letters “FOB”, “DDU”, or “CFR” marked on your freight documents but didn’t know what they were?
These abbreviations as well as a dozen or so others are called incoterms. Incoterms are a way for a buyer and seller to clearly define who is responsible for the shipment at different points in the delivery process in a clear manner.
For example, if your container full of crystal fishbowls from China were accidentally dropped during unloading from the crane onto the deck below, who would pay for it? If your freight terms were FOB, you would be responsible. If they were DDP, then your supplier would be liable.
Here are some of the most common terms:
- EXW – Ex Works — Title and risk pass to buyer including payment of all transportation and insurance cost from the seller’s door. Used for any mode of transportation.
- FCA – Free Carrier — Title and risk pass to buyer including transportation and insurance cost when the seller delivers goods cleared for export to the carrier.Seller is obligated to load the goods on the Buyer’s collecting vehicle; it is the Buyer’s obligation to recieve the Seller’s arriving vehicle unloaded.
- FAS – Free Alongside Ship –Title and risk pass to buyer including payment of all transportation and insurance cost once delivered alongside ship by the seller. Used for sea or inland waterway transportation. The export clearance obligation rests with the seller.
- FOB – Free On Board and risk pass to buyer including payment of all transportation and insurance cost once delivered on board the ship by the seller. Used for sea or inland waterway transportation.
- CFR – Cost and Freight — Title, risk and insurance cost pass to buyer when delivered on board the ship by seller who pays the transportation cost to the destination port. Used for sea or inland waterway transportation.
- CIF – Cost, Insurance and Freight — Title and risk pass to buyer when delivered on board the ship by seller who pays transportation and insurance cost to destination port. Used for sea or inland waterway transportation.
- CPT – Carriage Paid To — Title, risk and insurance cost pass to buyer when delivered to carrier by seller who pays transportation cost to destination. Used for any mode of transportation.
- CIP – Carriage and Insurance Paid To –Title and risk pass to buyer when delivered to carrier by seller who pays transportation and insurance cost to destination. Used for any mode of transportation.
- DAF – Delivered at Frontier — Title, risk and responsibility for import clearance pass to buyer when delivered to named border point by seller. Used for any mode of transportation.
- DES – Delivered Ex Ship — Title, risk, responsibility for vessel discharge and import clearance pass to buyer when seller delivers goods on board the ship to destination port. Used for sea or inland waterway transportation.
- DEQ – Delivered Ex Quay (Duty Paid) — Title and risk pass to buyer when delivered on board the ship at the destination point by the seller who delivers goods on dock at destination point cleared for import. Used for sea or inland waterway transportation. DDU – Delivered Duty Unpaid — Title, risk and responsibility of import clearance pass to buyer when seller delivers goods to named destination point. Used for any mode of transportation. Buyer is obligated for import clearance.
- DDU – Delivered Duty Unpaid — Seller fulfills his obligation when goods have been made available at teh named place in the country of importation
- DDP – Delivered Duty Paid — Title and risk pass to buyer when seller delivers goods to named destination point cleared for import. Used for any mode of transportation.
Note: EXW, CPT, CIP, DAF, DDU and DDP are commonly used for any mode of transportation. FAS, FOB, CFR, CIF, DES, and DEQ are used for sea and inland waterway.