Incoterms

When negotiating an international sales contract, both parties need to pay as much attention to the terms of sale as to the sales price. To make it as clear as possible, International Commercial Terms (INCOTERMS) has been adopted by most countries that defines exactly the responsibilities and risks of both the buyer and seller including while the merchandise is in transit. The following chart summarizes the responsibilities of both the buyer and seller for each of the current 13 INCOTERMS.

EXW FCA FAS FOB CFR CIF CPT
SERVICES Ex Works Free Carrier Free Alongside Ship Free Onboard Vessel Cost & Freight Cost Insurance
& Freight		 Carriage Paid To
Warehouse
Storage		 Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Warehouse
Labor		 Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Export Packing Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Loading Charges Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Inland Freight Buyer Buyer/ Seller* Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Terminal Charges Buyer Buyer Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Forwarder's Fees Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Seller Seller Seller
Loading On Vessel Buyer Buyer Buyer Seller Seller Seller Seller
Ocean/Air Freight Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Seller Seller Seller
Charges On Arrival At Destination Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Seller
Duty, Taxes & Customs Clearance Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer
Delivery To Destination Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer

CIP DAF DES DEQ DDU DDP
SERVICES Carriage Insurance Paid To Delivered At Frontier Delivered Ex Ship Delivered Ex Quay Duty Unpaid Delivered Duty Unpaid Delivered Duty Paid
Warehouse Storage Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Warehouse Labor Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Export Packing Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Loading Charges Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Inland Freight Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Terminal Charges Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Forwarder's Fees Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Loading On Vessel Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Ocean/Air Freight Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller Seller
Charges On Arrival At Destination Seller Buyer Buyer Seller Seller Seller
Duty, Taxes & Customs Clearance Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Seller
Delivery To Destination Buyer Buyer Buyer Buyer Seller Seller

Origin Terms

EXW - Ex-Works, named place where shipment is available to the buyer, not loaded. The seller will not contract for any transportation.

International Carriage NOT Paid by Seller

FCA - free Carrier, unloaded at the seller's dock OR a named place where shipment is available to the international carrier or agent, not loaded.This term can be used for any mode of transport.

FAS -Free Alongside Ship, named ocean port of shipment. Ocean shipments that are NOT containerized.

FOB - Free On Board vessel, named ocean port of shipment. This term is used for ocean shipments only where it is important that the goods pass the ship's rail.

International Carriage Paid by the Seller

CFR - Cost and Freight, Named ocean port of destination.
This term is used for ocean shipments that are not containerized

CIF - Cost, Insurance and Freight, named ocean port of destination.
This term is used for ocean shipments that are not containerized.

CPT - Carriage Paid To, named place or port of destination.
This term is used for air or ocean containerized and roll-on roll-off shipments.

CIP - Carriage and Insurance Paid To, named place or port of destination.
This term is used for air or ocean containerized and roll-on roll-off shipments.

CIF - Cost, Insurance and Freight, named ocean port of destination.
This term is used for ocean shipments that are not containerized.

Arrival At Stated Destination

DAF - Delivered At Frontier, named place of destination, by land, not unloaded.
This term is used for any mode of transportation but must be delivered by land.

DES - Delivered Ex-Ship, named port of destination, not unloaded.
This term is used for ocean shipments only.

DEQ - Delivered Ex-Quay, named port of destination, unloaded, not cleared.
This term is used for ocean shipments only.

DDU - Delivered Duty Unpaid, named place of destination, not unloaded, not cleared.
This term is used for any mode of transportation.

DDP - Delivered Duty Paid, named place of destination, not unloaded, cleared.
This term is used for any mode of transportation.