Incoterms

Incoterms answer who arranges and pays for transport, insurance and customs clearance, and at what point risk passes from seller to buyer. The current version, Incoterms 2020, has 11 rules:

Any mode of transport (7): EXW (Ex Works), FCA (Free Carrier), CPT (Carriage Paid To), CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid To), DAP (Delivered at Place), DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) and DDP (Delivered Duty Paid).

Sea and inland waterway only (4): FAS (Free Alongside Ship), FOB (Free on Board), CFR (Cost and Freight) and CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight).

EXW places the maximum obligation on the buyer, while DDP places the maximum on the seller. Under FOB, risk passes when goods are loaded on board the vessel; under CIF, the seller also pays freight and minimum insurance to the destination port, though risk still passes at loading.

Incoterms matter in trade finance because the LC and the documents required, such as the insurance certificate and the freight clause on the bill of lading, must match the agreed term. They do not govern transfer of ownership or payment terms. For landlocked Nepal, terms such as FCA, CPT and CIP are often more suitable than sea-only terms.

इन्कोटर्म्सले ढुवानी, बिमा र भन्सार कसले मिलाउने र तिर्ने तथा जोखिम कुन बिन्दुमा विक्रेताबाट क्रेतामा सर्छ भन्ने तय गर्छ। हालको Incoterms 2020 मा ११ नियम छन्:

जुनसुकै ढुवानी माध्यम (७): EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU, DDP।

समुद्री र आन्तरिक जलमार्ग मात्र (४): FAS, FOB, CFR, CIF।

EXW मा क्रेता र DDP मा विक्रेताको अधिकतम दायित्व हुन्छ। FOB मा जहाजमा लोड हुँदा जोखिम सर्छ; CIF मा विक्रेताले गन्तव्य बन्दरगाहसम्मको भाडा र न्यूनतम बिमा तिर्छ तर जोखिम लोडिङमै सर्छ।

व्यापार वित्तमा प्रतीतपत्र र आवश्यक कागजात (बिमा प्रमाणपत्र, बिल अफ लेडिङको भाडा सर्त) इन्कोटर्मसँग मिल्नुपर्छ। स्वामित्व हस्तान्तरण र भुक्तानी सर्त यसले निर्धारण गर्दैन। भूपरिवेष्टित नेपालका लागि FCA, CPT, CIP जस्ता सर्त बढी उपयुक्त हुन्छन्।