Trade Term: FAS-Free Alongside Ship

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This rule applies only to sea and inland waterway transport. "Alongside Ship" means that the seller fulfills their obligation to deliver when the goods are placed alongside the buyer's vessel (e.g., on the quay or in a lighter) at the named port of shipment. From that point onwards, the risk of loss or damage to the goods passes, and the buyer bears all costs. The parties should specify as clearly as possible the loading point at the named port of shipment, as the costs and risks up to that point are borne by the seller, and these costs and related handling charges may vary according to port delivery practices. The seller delivers the goods alongside the ship or procures goods already so delivered. The term "procure" here caters for chain sales, which are common in commodity trade. When goods are transported by container, the seller typically delivers the goods to the carrier at the terminal, not alongside the ship. In such cases, the Alongside Ship rule does not apply, and the Carrier (FCA) rule should be used instead. The Alongside Ship rule requires the seller to clear the goods for export when necessary. However, the seller has no obligation to clear the goods for import, pay any import duties, or carry out any import customs formalities.

A THE SELLER’ OBLIGATIONS	B THE BUYER’ OBLIGATIONS
A1 Seller’s general obligations The seller must provide the goods and the commercial invoice in conformity with the contract of sale and any other evidence that may be required by the contract to prove conformity of the goods. Any document referred to in clauses A1 to A10 may be an equivalent electronic record or procedure if agreed by the parties or customary.	B1 Buyer’s general obligations The buyer must pay the price of the goods as provided in the contract of sale. Any document referred to in clauses B1 to B2 may be an equivalent electronic record or procedure if agreed by the parties or customary.
A2 Licenses, authorizations, security clearances and other formalities Where customs formalities are necessary, the seller must obtain, at its own risk and expense, any export license or other official authorization and carry out all customs formalities necessary for the export of the goods.	B2 Licenses, authorizations, security clearances and other formalities Where customs formalities are necessary, the buyer must obtain, at its own risk and expense, any import license or other official authorization and carry out all customs formalities necessary for the import of the goods and for their transit through any country.
A3 Contracts of carriage and insurance a) Contract of carriage The seller has no obligation to make a contract of carriage. However, if requested by the buyer, or if it is commercial practice and the buyer does not give contrary instructions in a timely manner, the seller may contract for carriage on usual terms, at the buyer's risk and expense. In either case, the seller may decline to make the contract of carriage; if it does, it must promptly notify the buyer. b) Contract of insurance The seller has no obligation to make a contract of insurance. However, at the buyer's request and risk and expense (if any), the seller must provide the buyer with information needed for obtaining insurance.	B3 Contracts of carriage and insurance a) Contract of carriage The buyer must contract for the carriage of the goods from the named port of shipment at its own cost, except when the seller has made a contract of carriage pursuant to A3a). b) Contract of insurance The buyer has no obligation to make a contract of insurance.
A4 Delivery The seller must deliver the goods either by placing them alongside the buyer's vessel at the loading point (if any) designated by the buyer at the named port of shipment, or by procuring the goods already so delivered. In either case, the seller must deliver the goods on the agreed date or within the agreed period, in the manner customary at the port. If the buyer does not designate a specific loading point, the seller may select the point within the named port of shipment that best suits its purpose. If the parties agree that delivery is to take place within a period, the buyer may choose the date of delivery within that period.	B4 Taking delivery The buyer must take delivery of the goods when they are delivered in accordance with A4.
A5 Risk transfer Except as provided in B5, the seller bears all risks of loss or damage to the goods until they have been delivered in accordance with A4.	B5 Risk transfer The buyer bears all risks of loss or damage to the goods from the time they have been delivered in accordance with A4. If the buyer fails to give notice in accordance with B7; or if the vessel nominated by the buyer fails to arrive on time, or fails to take the goods, or stops loading earlier than the time notified in B7; then the buyer bears all risks of loss or damage to the goods from the agreed date or the expiry date of the agreed period, provided that the goods have been clearly identified as the contract goods.
A6 Cost division The seller must pay: a) all costs relating to the goods until they have been delivered in accordance with A4, other than those payable by the buyer as provided in B6; and b) where applicable, the costs of customs formalities necessary for export, as well as all duties, taxes, and other charges payable upon export.	B6 Cost division The buyer must pay: a) all costs relating to the goods from the time they have been delivered in accordance with A4, except those payable by the seller as provided in A6 b) for customs formalities necessary for export and all duties, taxes, and other charges payable upon export where applicable; b) any additional costs incurred due to: (i) the buyer failing to give timely notice to the seller in accordance with B7, and (ii) where the goods have been clearly identified as the contract goods, the vessel nominated by the buyer failing to arrive on time, or being unable to take the goods, or stopping loading earlier than the time notified in B7. c. where applicable, the costs of customs formalities necessary for import and all duties, taxes, and other charges payable upon import, as well as the costs for transit through any country.
A7 Notice to the buyer At the buyer's risk and expense, the seller must give the buyer sufficient notice that the goods have been delivered in accordance with A4 or that the vessel has failed to take the goods within the agreed time.	B7 Notice to the seller The buyer must give the seller sufficient notice of the vessel's name, loading point, and, if necessary, the selected delivery time within the agreed period.
A8 Delivery document The seller must provide, at its own expense, the usual proof of delivery of the goods in accordance with A4. Unless such proof is a transport document, at the buyer's request and risk and expense, the seller must assist the buyer in obtaining a transport document.	B8 Proof of taking delivery The buyer must accept the proof of delivery provided in accordance with A8.
A9 Inspection, packaging, marking The seller must pay the costs of any checking operations (such as checking quality, measuring, weighing, counting) that are necessary for delivering the goods in accordance with A4, as well as any pre-shipment inspection mandated by the authorities of the exporting country. The seller must package the goods at its own expense, unless it is customary in the trade to ship the goods described without packaging. The seller may package the goods in a manner suitable for the transport arranged, unless the buyer has notified the seller of specific packaging requirements before the contract of sale is concluded. The packaging must be appropriately marked.	B9 Inspection of goods The buyer must pay the costs of any pre-shipment inspection, except inspections mandated by the authorities of the exporting country.
A10 Information assistance and related costs Where applicable, at the buyer's request and risk and expense, the seller must promptly provide or render assistance to the buyer in obtaining any documents and information, including security-related information, needed by the buyer for the import and/or transport of the goods to their final destination. The seller must reimburse the buyer for all costs and charges incurred by the buyer in providing or rendering assistance in obtaining documents and information as set out in B10.	B10 Information assistance and related costs The buyer must promptly advise the seller of any security information requirements so that the seller may comply with A10. The buyer must reimburse the seller for all costs and charges incurred by the seller in providing or rendering assistance in obtaining documents and information as set out in A10. At the seller's request and risk and expense, the buyer must, in a timely manner, provide or render assistance to the seller in obtaining any documents and information, including security-related information, needed by the seller for the transport and export of the goods and for their transit through any country.

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