Seller delivers alongside the vessel at the named port of shipment — sea and inland waterway only.
Free Alongside Ship (FAS) requires the seller to deliver the goods alongside the named vessel at the specified port of shipment. 'Alongside' means on the quay (wharf) or on a lighter (barge) next to the vessel, in a position where the vessel's lifting tackle can reach. From that point, risk and cost transfer to the buyer — who is responsible for loading the goods onto the vessel, paying ocean freight, arranging insurance, handling import customs, and delivering to the final destination. FAS is a sea-and-inland-waterway-only term and is used primarily for bulk cargo such as grain, coal, iron ore, timber, and other commodities where goods are typically weighed or inspected alongside the vessel before loading.
FAS is appropriate for bulk commodities (grain, coal, ore, timber, scrap metal) where the cargo is weighed or inspected at the quayside before loading, and the buyer's nominated vessel handles the actual loading operation. FAS is also used in trades where independent inspection of the goods alongside the vessel is contractually required before the buyer accepts title.
FAS is not suitable for containerised cargo — containers are delivered to an inland container depot (CFS/CY) long before the vessel arrives, making 'alongside the vessel' impractical. Use FCA for containerised sea freight. FAS is also inappropriate for courier parcels, air freight, or road freight.
Under FAS, the seller delivers goods alongside the vessel but loading is the buyer's responsibility. Under FOB, the seller loads the goods onto the vessel — risk transfers on board the ship. FAS is therefore 'one step earlier' than FOB in the logistics chain. FAS is less common and mainly used for bulk cargo where the buyer's stevedores handle loading.
'Alongside the vessel' means on the quay directly beside the named vessel, or on a lighter (barge) that is positioned next to the vessel for loading. The seller must place goods in a position where the vessel's crane or other loading equipment can access them.
The seller handles export customs clearance under FAS. This is a change from Incoterms 1990, where export clearance was the buyer's responsibility. Under Incoterms 2000 and subsequent editions, the seller is always responsible for export clearance in F-terms (FAS, FCA, FOB).
No. Containers are handed over at inland container depots (CFS or CY) days or weeks before the vessel arrives at port. The concept of placing a container 'alongside' a vessel is logistically irrelevant in modern containerised trade. FCA at the container depot is the correct term for containerised shipments.
FAS is predominantly used for bulk commodities: grains (wheat, corn, soybeans), energy commodities (coal, petroleum products), metals (scrap steel, copper), forest products (logs, timber), and similar bulk goods that are loaded directly by crane or conveyor from the quayside into vessel holds.
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