An international transaction doesn't start with a shipment — it starts with a contract. It is the contract that sets out the terms of delivery, the liabilities of the parties, the payment procedure, documentation requirements, and dispute resolution rules. A wording error may result in cargo delays, fines, bank refusal to pay, or additional customs fees.
SZMA Logistics helps clients efficiently prepare and manage foreign trade contracts ensuring that your delivery is smooth, predictable, and free of legal "surprises".
Who needs this service?
Importers and exporters who:
- are entering the international market for the first time and do not want to take risks due to a "template" contract;
- regularly transport cargo and would like to standardize the contractual framework for different countries and suppliers;
- are working with new contractors and want to reduce risks related to payment, deadlines, and quality;
- encounter requirements from the bank, foreign exchange control, insurance or customs;
- receive a contract from a partner in a foreign language and want to be sure of every clause;
- operate using complex schemes: partial deliveries, consignment, customer-supplied raw materials, multiple consignees, and multimodal transportation.
What you get:
Main advantages
Protection against financial and logistical risks:
clear terms regarding the deadlines, liability, penalties, and force majeure.
Reducing the probability of customs delays:
correct wording regarding the product, documentation, delivery terms and cost.
Transparent transaction economics:
clear distribution of costs (transportation, insurance, loading/unloading, storage).
Confidence in payments:
correct terms and conditions for payments, currency, bank details, and supporting documents.
Faster approval with the counter-party
professional communication and clear logic of amendments without unnecessary "legal milk-and-water".
The manager's peace of mind:
the contract works for you, not against you.
How we do it
Country, product, route, payment terms, deadlines, who will organize logistics, what documents are needed.
We review the key sections: item, quality/packaging/labeling, delivery times, transfer of risk, documentation, liability, acceptance procedure, claims procedure, applicable law, and arbitration.
We verify that the selected conditions actually correspond to the route and distribution of costs, and do not create any loopholes in insurance and transportation.
We prepare clear comments, suggest wording, help conduct negotiations and formalize agreements.
Control of the delivery document package (invoice, packing list, bill of lading / CMR / air waybill, etc.), compliance with the contract terms, assistance with changes (supplementary agreements, specifications).
Depending on the country, the product, and the transaction structure, we engage:
- specialized lawyers in foreign economic activity and international law;
- customs specialists (to link the contractual terms with the clearance practices);
- translators and editors of legal texts (for bilingual contracts);
- if required — insurance and financial consultants (to agree on insurance/payment terms).
What exactly can we do for you?
examination of the draft foreign trade contract and the protocol of disagreements;
preparation of foreign trade contracts, specifications, appendices and supplementary agreements;
checking the correctness of Incoterms, distribution of costs and risks;
recommendations on documents that shall be provided for in the contract;
support of negotiations and final approval.
Why SZMA Logistics?
We look at the contract not "in a vacuum", but in the context of legal matters + logistics + documentation. This allows you to eliminate in advance any conditions that look good on paper, but in actual transportation lead to delays and unnecessary costs. Feel free to submit an application, and we will evaluate your foreign trade contract, identify risky clauses, and propose clear amendments tailored to your delivery.