Ports & Customs

A German customer purchased a batch of LCD televisions from Shanghai in the first half of 2016 and the payment term was LC. The customer specified strict requirements on the delivery of goods and it would suffer significant losses in case of delay in delivery. So the sales contract explicitly stipulated the time of shipment and the supplier, in the event of delay, should make corresponding compensation. However, contrary to expectation, the shipment of goods was two weeks later than the original plan. Supplier seemed to have a good reason, arguing that the delay was caused by the inspection by China Customs. It showed the inspection notice issued by China Customs, indicating that it was a force majeure, instead of their own responsibility, and that explained why it did not have to perform the terms of compensation under the contract, the customer had no alternative. That was understandable, it was difficult for foreign customers to check dynamic information about Chinese customs and terminals.

Recommended by a friend, the customers resorted to FIC Logistics China Port & Customs Inquiry system, they entered the container number and all dynamic information was clearly shown, including the return time of containers, customs clearance time, container inspections and so on. They found that suppliers had been lying and the container was not checked by the Chinese Customs and the return time of the container was two weeks late than the original plan. That meant that the delay was caused by untimely loading as a result of supplier's production delays, the supplier made an excuse of customs inspection and forged a customs inspection notice.

The customer contacted our customer service to further confirm and got the official evidence, they were provided with dynamic information about Chinese Customs official containers. After confirmation, the customer sent the evidence to the supplier, who in the face of the facts, could not deny and compensate the said customer in accordance with the contract terms.