Incoterms® 2025 Explained, how they will affect global trade.

The International Chamber of Commerce have published new Incoterms® 2024 that have come into effect from the 1st of January 2024.  The ICC originally published Incoterms® in 1936 and have continually made updates to reflect the changes to the Global Trade environment.  It’s important that all parties involved in trade clearly understand the changes and how they apply to global supply chains.

Incoterms® play such a vital role in the world of global trade.  Incoterms® 2010 or Incoterms® 2024 may seem complicated, but it’s imperative that buyers and sellers clearly understand how they work and their own obligations along the supply chain.  In this article we explain the updates made and provide simple explanations, along with an Incoterms® infographic to explain Incoterms® 2024.

Note: The content of this article and chart is only for general information purposes and shall not in any circumstances be considered bespoke legal advice or professional advice.

Incoterms® 2025详解：将如何影响全球贸易

国际商会（ICC）已发布新版《国际贸易术语解释通则2024》（Incoterms® 2024），并已于2024年1月1日起生效。自1936年首次发布以来，国际商会持续更新Incoterms®规则，以反映全球贸易环境的变化。贸易相关各方清晰理解这些变化及其在全球供应链中的适用方式至关重要。

Incoterms®在全球贸易中扮演着关键角色。尽管Incoterms® 2010或2024看似复杂，但买卖双方必须明确其运作机制及自身在供应链中的义务。本文将解析本次更新内容，提供简明解读，并附Incoterms®信息图辅助理解2024版规则。

​​注​​：本文及图表内容仅作一般信息参考，不得在任何情况下视为定制法律建议或专业建议。

What are Incoterms®?

Put simply, Incoterms® are the selling terms that the buyer and seller of goods both agree to during international transactions.  These rules are accepted by governments and legal authorities around the world. Understanding Incoterms® is a vital part of International Trade because they clearly state which tasks, costs and risks are associated with the buyer and the seller.

The Incoterm® states when the seller’s costs and risks are transferred onto the buyer.  It’s also important to understand that not all rules apply in all cases.  Some encompass any mode or modes of transport.  Transport by all modes of transport (road, rail, air and sea) covers FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU (replaces DAT) and DDP.  Sea/Inland waterway transport (Sea) covers FAS, FOB, CFR and CIF, which we explain below.

什么是Incoterms®？

简言之，Incoterms®（国际贸易术语解释通则）是国际货物买卖双方在交易中共同约定的“交货条款”。这些规则被全球各国政府及法律机构认可。理解Incoterms®是国际贸易的核心环节，因其明确规定了买卖双方在货物运输中的责任、费用与风险划分。

Incoterms®的核心作用是界定“卖方责任与风险转移给买方的节点”。需注意的是，并非所有规则适用于所有场景：

• ​​多式联运适用术语​​（涵盖公路、铁路、航空、海运）：FCA（货交承运人）、CPT（运费付至）、CIP（运费、保险费付至）、DAP（目的地交货）、DPU（目的地交货卸货，取代原DAT）、DDP（完税后交货）。

• ​​海运/内河运输专用术语​​：FAS（船边交货）、FOB（船上交货）、CFR（成本加运费）、CIF（成本、保险费加运费）（后文详述）。

Why are Incoterms® vital in International Trade?

Incoterms® are referred to as International Commercial Terms.  They are a set of rules published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which relate to International Commercial Law.  According to the ICC, Incoterms® rules provide internationally accepted definitions and rules of interpretation for most common commercial terms used in contracts for the sale of goods’.

All International purchases will be processed on an agreed Incoterm to define which party legally incurs costs and risks.  Incoterms® will be clearly stated on relevant shipping documents.

为何Incoterms®对国际贸易至关重要？

Incoterms®全称为“International Commercial Terms（国际贸易术语）”，是国际商会（ICC）发布的国际商法规则体系。根据ICC定义，其“为销售合同中最常用的商业术语提供了国际公认的定义与解释规则”。

所有国际贸易交易均需约定适用的Incoterm®，以明确法律责任与风险承担方。相关术语也需清晰标注在运输单据中。

An overview of Incoterms® 2025

Incoterms® 2025核心术语概览

EXW （工厂交货）

• Ex works is when the seller places the goods at the disposal of the buyer at the seller’s premises or at another named place (i.e., works, factory, warehouse, etc.).

• The seller does not need to load the goods on any collecting vehicle. Nor does it need to clear them for export, where such clearance is applicable.

• 卖方在其所在地（如工厂、仓库等指定地点）将货物交付买方处置，即完成交货。

• 卖方无需负责将货物装载至买方运输工具；若涉及出口清关（如适用），卖方亦无义务办理。

FCA – Free Carrier （货交承运人）

• The seller delivers the goods to the carrier or another person nominated by the buyer at the seller’s premises or another named place.

• The parties are well advised to specify as explicitly as possible the point within the named place of delivery, as the risk passes to the buyer at that point.

• 卖方在其所在地或指定地点将货物交付买方指定的承运人或其他人。

• 建议买卖双方明确约定“指定交货地点内的具体位置”，因风险自该位置起转移给买方。

FAS – Free Alongside Ship （船边交货）

• The seller delivers when the goods are placed alongside the vessel (e.g., on a quay or a barge) nominated by the buyer at the named port of shipment.

• The risk of loss of or damage to the goods passes when the products are alongside the ship.  The buyer bears all costs from that moment onwards.

• 卖方将货物放置于买方指定船舶（如码头、驳船）的船边，即完成交货（在指定装运港）。

• 货物损失或损坏的风险自货物靠船时转移；买方承担自风险转移后的全部费用。

FOB – Free On Board （船上交货）

• The seller delivers the goods on board the vessel nominated by the buyer at the named port of shipment or procures the goods already so delivered.

• The risk of loss of or damage to the goods passes when the products are on board the vessel.  The buyer bears all costs from that moment onwards.

• 卖方将货物装上买方指定的船舶（或安排货物已完成装船），即完成交货（在指定装运港）。

• 货物损失或损坏的风险自货物装船时转移；买方承担自风险转移后的全部费用。

CFR – Cost and Freight （成本加运费）

• The seller delivers the goods on board the vessel or procures the goods already so delivered.

• The risk of loss of or damage to the goods passes when the products are on board the vessel.

• The seller must contract for and pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination.

• 卖方将货物装上船舶（或安排货物已完成装船），即完成交货。

• 货物损失或损坏的风险自货物装船时转移；

• 卖方需签订合同并支付将货物运至指定目的港的运费。

CIF – Cost, Insurance and Freight （成本、保险费加运费）

• The seller delivers the goods on board the vessel or procures the goods already so delivered. The risk of loss of or damage to the goods passes when the products are on the ship.

• The seller must contract for and pay the costs and freight necessary to bring the goods to the named port of destination.

• The seller also contracts for insurance cover against the buyer’s risk of loss of or damage to the goods during the carriage.

• The buyer should note that under CIF the seller is required to obtain insurance only on a minimum cover. Should the buyer wish to have more insurance protection, it will need either to agree as much expressly with the seller or to make its own extra insurance arrangements.

• 卖方将货物装上船舶（或安排货物已完成装船），即完成交货。

• 货物损失或损坏的风险自货物装船时转移；

• 卖方需签订合同并支付将货物运至指定目的港的运费；

• 卖方需为货物在运输途中的损失或损坏向买方投保（仅需最低险别）。若买方需更高保险保障，需与卖方明确约定或自行额外投保。

CPT  – Carriage Paid To （运费付至）

• The seller delivers the goods to the carrier or another person nominated by the seller at an agreed place (if any such site is agreed between the parties).

• The seller must contract for and pay the costs of carriage necessary to bring the goods to the named place of destination.

• 卖方将货物交付至其指定的承运人或其他人（若双方约定具体地点）。

• 卖方需签订合同并支付将货物运至指定目的地的运费。

CIP – Carriage And Insurance Paid To （运费、保险费付至）

• The seller has the same responsibilities as CPT, but they also contract for insurance cover against the buyer’s risk of loss of or damage to the goods during the carriage.

• The buyer should note that under CIP the seller is required to obtain insurance only on minimum cover. Should the buyer wish to have more insurance protection, it will need either to agree as much expressly with the seller or to make its own extra insurance arrangements.

• 卖方责任与CPT相同，但需额外为货物在运输途中的损失或损坏向买方投保（仅需最低险别）。
• 若买方需更高保险保障，需与卖方明确约定或自行额外投保。

DAP – Delivered At Place ( Old DDU) （目的地交货）（原DDU）

• The seller delivers when the goods are placed at the disposal of the buyer on the arriving means of transport, ready for unloading at the named place of destination.

• The seller bears all risks involved in bringing the goods to the named place.

• 卖方将货物交付至到达运输工具上，供买方卸货（在指定目的地），即完成交货。

• 卖方承担将货物运至指定目的地的全部风险。

DPU – Delivered At Place Unloaded （目的地交货卸货）（取代原DAT“终端交货”）

• DPU replaces the former Incoterm® DAT (Delivered At Terminal).  The seller delivers the goods, once unloaded are placed at the disposal of the buyer at a named place of destination.

• The seller bears all risks involved in bringing the goods to, and unloading them at, the named place of destination.

• (Air freight) The receiver will take care of the destination airport > to the delivery place, including import customs duty and VAT.  Exporter/sender will take care from the loading place, export papers > destination airport!

• 卖方将货物卸货后交付至指定目的地，供买方处置，即完成交货。

• 卖方承担将货物运至指定目的地并完成卸货的全部风险；

• （空运场景）收货方负责从目的地机场至最终交付地的运输（含进口关税、增值税）；出口方负责从装货地至目的地机场的出口文件及运输。

DDP – Delivered Duty Paid （完税后交货）

• The seller delivers the goods when the goods are placed at the disposal of the buyer, cleared for import on the arriving means of transport ready for unloading at the named place of destination.

• The seller bears all the costs and risks involved in bringing the goods to the place of destination.  They must clear the products not only for export but also for import, to pay any duty for both export and import, and to carry out all customs formalities.

• 卖方将货物交付至到达运输工具上（已办妥进口清关，供买方卸货），即完成交货。

• 卖方承担将货物运至目的地的全部费用与风险；

• 卖方需办理货物出口及进口清关手续，支付出口与进口关税，并完成所有海关程序。