The delivery of goods on truck, rail car or container at the specified point (depot) of departure, which is usually the seller’s premises, or a named railroad station or a named cargo terminal or into the custody of the carrier, at seller’s expense. The point (depot) at origin may or may not be a customs clearance center. Buyer is responsible for the main carriage/freight, cargo insurance and other costs and risks. In the air shipment, technically speaking, goods placed in the custody of an air carrier is considered as delivery on board the plane. In practice, many importers and exporters still use the term FOB in the air shipment. The term FCA is also used in the RO/RO (roll on/roll off) services. In the export quotation, indicate the point of departure (loading) after the acronym FCA, for example FCA Hong Kong and FCA Seattle. Some manufacturers may use the former terms FOT (Free On Truck) and FOR (Free On Rail) in selling to export-traders.

The Incoterms are a series of pre-defined commercial terms defining the key parts of freight forwarding published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) relating to international trade and commercial law. Featuring the latest glossary of terms and reference chart for the correct use
of Incoterms® rules in domestic and nternational trade.

The delivery of goods on board the vessel at the named port of origin (loading), at seller’s expense. Buyer is responsible for the main carriage/freight, cargo insurance and other costs and risks. In the export quotation, indicate the port of origin (loading) after the acronym FOB, for example FOB Vancouver and FOB Shanghai.In some common law countries such as the United States of America, FOB is not only connected with the carriage of goods by sea but also used for inland carriage aboard any “vessel, car or other vehicle.”

In North America, the term FOB has other applications. Many buyers and sellers in Canada and the U.S.A. dealing on the open account and consignment basis are accustomed to using the shipping terms FOB Origin and FOB Destination.

FOB Origin means the buyer is responsible for the freight and other costs and risks. FOB Destination means the seller is responsible for the freight and other costs and risks until the goods are delivered to the buyer’s premises, which may include the import customs clearance and payment of import customs duties and taxes at the buyer’s country, depending on the agreement between the buyer and seller.
In international trade, avoid using the shipping terms FOB Origin and FOB Destination, which are not part of the INCOTERMS.

The delivery of goods to the named port of destination (discharge) at the seller’s expense. Buyer is responsible for the cargo insurance and other costs and risks. The term CFR was formerly written as C&F. Many importers and exporters worldwide still use the term C&F.In the export quotation, indicate the port of destination (discharge) after the acronym CFR, for example CFR Karachi and CFR Alexandria. Under the rules of the INCOTERMS 1990, the term Cost and Freight is used for ocean freight only. However, in practice, the term Cost and Freight (C&F) is still commonly used in the air freight.

The cargo insurance and delivery of goods to the named port of destination (discharge) at the seller’s expense. Buyer is responsible for the import customs clearance and other costs and risks. In the export quotation, indicate the port of destination (discharge) after the acronym CIF, for example CIF Pusan and CIF Singapore. This term is broadly similar to the above CFR term, with the exception that the seller is required to obtain insurance for the goods while in transit. Another point to consider is that CIF should only be used for non-containerized sea freight; for all other modes of transport it should be replaced with CIP.

The delivery of goods to the named place of destination (discharge) at seller’s expense. Buyer assumes the cargo insurance, import customs clearance, payment of customs duties and taxes, and other costs and risks. In the export quotation, indicate the place of destination (discharge) after the acronym CPT, for example CPT Los Angeles and CPT Osaka. CPT replaces the C&F (cost and freight) and CFR terms for all shipping modes outside of non-containerized sea freight.

The delivery of goods and the cargo insurance to the named place of destination (discharge) at seller’s expense. Buyer assumes the import customs clearance, payment of customs duties and taxes, and other costs and risks. In the export quotation, indicate the place of destination (discharge) after the acronym CIP, for example CIP Paris and CIP Athens. CIP can be used for all modes of transport, whereas the Incoterm CIF should only be used for non-containerized sea-freight.

The delivery of goods to the specified point at the frontier at seller’s expense. Buyer is responsible for the import customs clearance, payment of customs duties and taxes, and other costs and risks. In the export quotation, indicate the point at frontier (discharge) after the acronym DAF, for example DAF Buffalo and DAF Welland.

The delivery of goods on board the vessel at the named port of destination (discharge), at seller’s expense. Buyer assumes the unloading fee, import customs clearance, payment of customs duties and taxes, cargo insurance, and other costs and risks. In the export quotation, indicate the port of destination (discharge) after the acronym DES, for example DES Helsinki and DES Stockholm. Costs for unloading the goods and any duties, taxes, etc. are for the Buyer. A commonly used term in shipping bulk commodities, such as coal, grain, dry chemicals; and where the seller either owns or has chartered their own vessel.

This is similar to DES, but the passing of risk does not occur until the goods have been unloaded at the port of discharge. The delivery of goods to the quay (the port) at destination at seller’s expense. Seller is responsible for the import customs clearance and payment of customs duties and taxes at the buyer’s end. Buyer assumes the cargo insurance and other costs and risks. In the export quotation, indicate the port of destination (discharge) after the acronym DEQ, for example DEQ Libreville and DEQ Maputo.

The delivery of goods and the cargo insurance to the final point at destination, which is often the project site or buyer’s premises, at seller’s expense. Buyer assumes the import customs clearance and payment of customs duties and taxes. The seller may opt not to insure the goods at his/her own risks. In the export quotation, indicate the point of destination (discharge) after the acronym DDU, for example DDU La Paz and DDU Ndjamena.

The seller is responsible for most of the expenses, which include the cargo insurance, import customs clearance, and payment of customs duties and taxes at the buyer’s end, and the delivery of goods to the final point at destination, which is often the project site or buyer’s premises. The seller may opt not to insure the goods at his/her own risks. In the export quotation, indicate the point of destination (discharge) after the acronym DDP, for example DDP Bujumbura and DDP Mbabane.Unless the rules and regulations in the buyer’s country are very well understood, DDP terms can be a very big risk both in terms of delays and in unforeseen extra costs, and should be used with caution.