Process
How we work
We are an intermediary. We do not own the material, take positions, or deploy our own capital. What we do is establish that both sides are who they say they are, get the terms written down properly, and stay accountable until the cargo lands.
Requirement
Everything starts with a complete specification. Two things sink more commodity transactions than price does, and the first is a specification that was never fully agreed — a phosphorus ceiling nobody stated, a calorific basis quoted on ADB and read as NAR, a calibre assumed rather than confirmed.
Our requirement form covers the same ground a purchase order covers: grade and tolerance, quantity and term, incoterm and named place, payment instrument, inspection regime and required documents. Completed properly, it goes to supply without a fortnight of back and forth.
Verification
Nothing is quoted until we have established that the counterparty holds title rather than sitting in a chain. Our standard is to check corporate registration in the country of incorporation, production capability against the volume offered, and export history.
We do not work against allocation letters, unverifiable proof-of-product, or intermediaries claiming a mandate they cannot evidence. Where a document is presented, we verify it with the issuing body rather than accepting the copy.
Structure
Terms are agreed in writing before the contract is drawn. That means the Incoterms 2020 rule and its named place, the payment instrument and its exact wording, who bears inspection cost and at which point quality and weight become final, the document set, laytime and demurrage where relevant, and the governing law and arbitration forum.
Where a trade association form governs the commodity we contract on it rather than inventing terms — GAFTA on grains and pulses, FOSFA on oils and oilseeds, the Refined Sugar Association Rules on white sugar. Physical raws are normally written on ICE No.11 terms, FOB and 96 pol, and priced basis the No.11 future; that is an exchange contract rather than a trade association form, and the arbitration route differs, so settle it explicitly.
If the cargo moves in containers we will press for FCA, CPT or CIP rather than FOB, CFR or CIF. The sea-only rules put risk transfer at the ship rail, days after a container has left the seller control at the terminal, and that gap is uninsured in more container contracts than anyone admits.
Delivery
We stay on the transaction through loading, inspection, documentation and discharge. One point of contact for both sides, from first enquiry to final document.
If something goes wrong — a vessel delay, an analysis dispute, a document discrepancy at the bank — you hear it from us early, with the options set out plainly.
Standards
What we hold to
- Inspection
- Independent pre-shipment inspection by SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or Cotecna. The contract states where quality and weight become final, and whose account bears the cost.
- Payment
- Documentary credit — confirmed where the issuing bank or its country warrants it — documents against payment under URC 522, or telegraphic transfer against documents. We will tell you which instrument the other side will realistically accept, and we will say so when the answer is none of them.
- Documents
- Signed commercial invoice, full set of clean on-board bills of lading, certificate of origin, certificate of analysis, packing list, weight certificate or draft survey, a draft where the credit is available by acceptance or deferred payment, and the right insurance document — banks reject a certificate where the credit called for a policy, and on CIF the cover has to be 110% of invoice value in the currency of the credit. Plus any phytosanitary, fumigation, ISPM 15 or radiation certification the destination requires. We agree the document list and the presentation period against the credit wording before the credit is opened.
- Compliance
- Sanctions and export-control screening on both counterparties, against the UN, EU, UK, US and UAE regimes, and against Canadian measures — which bind a Canadian person wherever they operate, including on brokerage between two third countries. CBAM entered its definitive phase on 1 January 2026: an importer bringing more than 50 tonnes of CBAM goods into the EU in a year needs authorised declarant status, and below that threshold the obligation does not bite at all. The first declaration and the first surrender of certificates fall due in 2027 against 2026 imports. We flag scope and the likely certificate cost at enquiry, so it is priced into landed cost rather than discovered at clearance. Separately, we capture the traceability data the Deforestation Regulation requires from 30 December 2026.
Boundaries
What we will not do
- 01 We do not participate in blind broker chains, or in transactions structured around buyer-side and seller-side commission splits.
- 02 We will not work an enquiry against allocation letters or proof-of-product that cannot be verified with the issuing party.
- 03 We will never ask you for bank account details, passwords or payment through this website or by email. Account details pass between the principals, through their banks, after contract.
- 04 We do not quote a price we cannot stand behind.
- 05 We are paid a stated brokerage on concluded business — for the seller account unless agreed otherwise, quoted per tonne rather than as a percentage, disclosed to both sides before contract, and earned shipment by shipment as each is paid. We do not take an undisclosed spread.
Start with the requirement
Five minutes with your specification to hand, and we can take the enquiry straight to supply.