The Letter Of Credit

The book elucidates the importance of a letter of credit in matters of trade finance. A letter of credit is an instrument that is used worldwide to facilitate the flow of trade finance. This book is ideal for beginners who are interested in the subject but do not possess a clear understanding of the basics of the letter of credit or adequate technical knowledge. It may also benefit bankers and students of international trade finance. It will help them build a strong foundation to help understand how to tackle difficult day to day transactions. The book explains the UCP 600 guidelines that govern letters of credit and the roles of the issuing bank, beneficiary, advising bank, nominated bank, confirming bank, applicant and so on. This book is not exhaustive as letter of credit is a vast subject and every single transaction carried out is unique. The book has been written keeping in mind the difficulties I faced while working at a bank and the experiences I have gained thus far, on my journey as a trade finance professional.

This treatise addresses all standby and commercial letter of credit problems and provides guidance through the case law under UCC Article 5. Establishing, amending, and terminating the letter of credit is discussed in detail.

The 21st century has witnessed swift change in every sphere of the human endeavour. Regulatory re-alignment, digitalisation and economic and political developments have contributed to paradigm shift in banking, trade, finance and the shipping industry virtually transforming the landscape. International Trade Finance is an essential tool for bankers, exporters/importers, shippers, consultants, teachers and students navigating the procedures of international trade finance. The book addresses basic topics relating to international trade including letters of credit mechanism, collections of bills, trade customs and practice. New to this revised edition, it covers SWIFT updates, supply chain system, UKEF, Blockchain technologies, the implications of BREXIT, NAFTA, Mexico, Canada and other bilateral agreements and their implications, the US sanctions, terrorist financing and anti-money laundering provisions, and a check list to control financial crime risks in trade finance. The extended metaphor of the book is that of an arm chair tour covering fundamentals to the nuances of the hard core of the subject matter and enabling the readers to deal with complicated implementation issues in a forthright and comprehensive fashion.

I classify international banking and international shipping together because for a international business that buys and resells materials, the two are interrelated. It is necessary to have a bank and a freight agent that has a lot of experience in international business. Do not use a small local bank as they cannot meet your need when it comes to doing business outside the United States.