Pre-shipment inspection coordination
A letter of credit pays against documents, not against the cargo behind them. Confirming the goods are what the contract says, while they are still in Brazil and payment can still be held, needs an inspection commissioned and timed correctly.
Who this is for
A buyer with a confirmed order from a Brazilian exporter who needs the cargo checked, independently, before it leaves Brazil, and does not have their own relationship with an inspection company that covers the commodity and the region.
The problem this solves
None of the registry or document checks on the exporter side look at the goods themselves. A company can be real, accredited and fully documented, and still ship a lower grade or a short weight. A letter of credit does not close that gap either, because it pays against a complying set of documents rather than against the cargo (see pre-shipment inspection). Coordinating an inspection that is timed correctly, run by a company qualified for the specific commodity, and structured so its certificate actually protects the payment, is a separate piece of work from placing the order.
What we do
- Identify an inspection company qualified for the specific commodity and the port or region the shipment moves through.
- Confirm the sampling standard that applies, since it differs by commodity: for example moisture and defect limits under ICO rules for green coffee, or grading standards for wet blue leather.
- Schedule the inspection against the shipment's loading date, with enough lead time for the inspector to visit while the goods are still in Brazil.
- Coordinate how the inspection certificate is named as a required document if payment runs through a letter of credit or documentary collection, so the certificate actually has teeth in the payment structure.
Deliverables
A booked, independent inspection with a named inspection company, a confirmed sampling standard for the commodity, and the resulting inspection certificate or report. Where the certificate needs to be a named document in a letter of credit, we confirm the wording matches what the issuing bank will accept.
Timeline
Typically a matter of days from a confirmed shipment date to a scheduled inspection, longer during a commodity's peak export season.
What we need from you
The commodity, the contract's quality and quantity terms, the shipment's expected loading date and location, and, if payment runs through a letter of credit, a copy of the draft credit terms.
Price
Quoted per deal, after the free diagnostic call. Price depends on the commodity, the inspection company's own fee for the visit, and how far the inspection point is from a major port. See pricing for what drives the number.
Who does the work
We coordinate the booking, scheduling and paperwork; a licensed, independent inspection company performs the physical inspection and issues the certificate. We are not an inspection body ourselves and do not certify anything under our own name.
This page describes a paid coordination service, not the inspection itself, and not legal or financial advice on a specific transaction.
Frequently asked questions
Do you perform the inspection yourselves?
No. We coordinate licensed, independent inspection companies and classifiers for the specific commodity and market; we are not an inspection body and do not issue inspection certificates ourselves. That separation is what keeps the inspection independent of the deal.
What does pre-shipment inspection actually check?
Quantity and quality against the contract, at the point the goods are still in Brazil and before they are loaded. What it checks depends on the commodity: moisture and defect count for green coffee, grade and chrome content for wet blue leather, weight and packaging for meat and poultry. See pre-shipment inspection for the standards each one follows.
How does the inspection certificate fit into payment?
It sits alongside a letter of credit or documentary collection rather than replacing it. A credit pays against a complying set of documents; naming the inspection certificate as one of the required documents in the credit is how the inspection result actually gets to protect the payment, and that has to be set up when the credit is opened, not after.
How far in advance do I need to book this?
Enough lead time for the inspection company to schedule a visit before loading, typically a matter of days once a shipment date is fixed, longer during a commodity's peak export season when inspectors are booked up.
Work the Brazilian side of your deal with us
We are based in Rio de Janeiro. Send us the specifics and we will tell you where things stand before you commit.