Cases & Materials on International Trade Law sets out summaries, extracts from, and analysis of the main cases and other materials on international sale contracts. While all such sale contracts are examined, the book concentrates especially on c.i.f. (costs, insurance, freight) and f.o.b. (free on board) contracts, and variations thereon, under which even today the overwhelming majority of the world's tonnage, and especially of bulk commodities, is shipped.
The book covers all aspects of international sale contracts, including transfer of risk and property, documentary requirements, remedies and standardisation issues. Documentary credits are covered, as is the nature of the relationship between each of the trading parties and the sea carrier.
The traditional international sale contracts, and traditional documentation, are becoming less suitable than they once were, especially for containerised transport, but also in the bulk commodity trades themselves. Possible alternatives are therefore discussed, including, for example, non-negotiable documentation, electronic bills of lading and the Bolero project. The vulnerability of the system to maritime fraud is examined.