freecarrier

Free Carrier, abbreviated FCA, is an Incoterm defined by the International Chamber of Commerce for international trade. It covers any mode of transport, including multi‑modal shipments, and is commonly used when the buyer wants to control the main carriage and insurance.

Under FCA, the seller fulfills their obligation by delivering the goods, cleared for export, to the named carrier at a specified place chosen in the contract. The risk of loss or damage transfers from seller to buyer at the moment the goods are handed over to the carrier at the named place. The seller bears costs up to that delivery point, including export formalities and any required loading when the named place is not the seller’s premises. The buyer then arranges and pays for the main transport from the named place to the final destination, as well as insurance and import formalities if applicable.

Key features and implications:

- Any mode of transport can be used; FCA is particularly versatile for shipments that involve complex routing or multiple carriers.

- The named place can be a seller’s premises or another location such as a port or warehouse.

- The seller is responsible for export clearance; the buyer handles main carriage, risk transfer, and post-delivery costs.

FCA contrasts with terms like FOB (risk transfers later, typically at ship loading) and CIF (seller pays for cost, insurance, and freight to destination). It is often favored when the buyer wants greater control over the main transport chain.