Port to Port

Port to Port is a common term in international cargo transportation, referring to the carrier's period of responsibility beginning with the receipt of goods at the port of shipment and ending with the delivery of goods at the port of destination. It typically applies to ocean shipping, especially container transport. Use cases include: the buyer and seller agree to hand over goods on a port-to-port basis, such as under trade terms like FOB, CFR, and CIF, where the seller is responsible for transporting the goods to the port of shipment and loading them onto the vessel, and the buyer is responsible for transport after the port of destination. Precautions: Port to Port does not include inland transport before the port of origin or inland transport after the port of destination; therefore, if door-to-door service is required, "Door to Door" or "Warehouse to Warehouse" clauses should be chosen. The difference from "Door to Door" is that Port to Port covers only the port-to-port segment, whereas Door to Door covers the entire process from the shipper's warehouse to the consignee's warehouse. In addition, under Port to Port, the cargo owner must arrange inland transport and customs clearance at both ends. Foreign trade practitioners should clearly define the transport clauses in the contract to avoid unclear allocation of responsibilities.