CIF, FOB & Incoterms Explained for Chemical Buyers

When you request a quote for industrial chemicals, the price only means something once you know the Incoterm attached to it. Incoterms are the internationally recognised rules that define where the seller's responsibility ends and yours begins - covering freight, insurance, customs, and the critical question of who bears risk at each stage.

EXW (Ex Works)

The seller makes goods available at their factory. You arrange and pay for everything after that - inland transport, export clearance, freight, insurance. Lowest headline price, highest effort and risk for the buyer.

FOB (Free On Board)

The seller delivers the goods onto the vessel at the port of origin and handles export clearance. From that point, freight, insurance, and risk are yours. FOB is common when the buyer has their own freight forwarder and wants control over shipping.

CIF (Cost, Insurance & Freight)

The seller pays for freight and minimum insurance to your destination port. CIF is the simplest term for many importers because the landed-to-port cost is bundled into one number - easy to budget and compare. Note that risk still transfers at origin, so the insurance cover matters.

Comparing quotes correctly

Always compare like-for-like: an EXW price will look cheaper than CIF but excludes freight and insurance you must add. When you request a quote from Jaydev Multicomm, we provide clear CIF and FOB options to your nominated port, with full documentation, so the number you see is the number you plan around.