ISBP 745: Documents Showing Partial Shipment Quantities

Introduction

Partial shipments under documentary credits create documentary complexity because each consignment requires its own set of documents, or a single set of documents must clearly indicate which portion of the total quantity relates to which shipment. ISBP 745 provides specific practice standards for how documents must reflect partial shipment quantities. When the credit permits partial shipments, the beneficiary must ensure that the invoice, transport document, packing list, and other quantity-related documents accurately reflect the partial quantities shipped. Failure to reconcile these quantities across documents is a frequent source of discrepancy.

Failure Mode Analysis

FM1: Invoice Shows Total Credit Quantity Instead of Partial Quantity

The credit is for 1,000 widgets. The beneficiary ships 400 widgets in the first consignment but presents an invoice showing "1,000 widgets." The invoice does not reflect the actual quantity shipped. Under ISBP 745 B11, the invoice must indicate the quantity actually shipped in the partial consignment. The discrepancy is: invoice quantity does not match the quantity indicated on the transport document.

FM2: Transport Document Shows Partial Quantity But Invoice Does Not

The bill of lading shows 400 widgets shipped, but the invoice shows 1,000 widgets. The invoice and transport document conflict on quantity. Under ISBP 745 A2, data across documents must not conflict.

FM3: Packing List Quantities Do Not Match Invoice Quantities

The invoice shows 400 widgets, the bill of lading shows 400 widgets, but the packing list shows 500 widgets. The packing list conflict is a discrepancy under ISBP 745 A2.

FM4: Partial Shipment Not Clearly Identified

The beneficiary ships 400 widgets and 600 widgets in two separate consignments. Both sets of documents use the same invoice number and do not indicate which consignment they relate to. The bank cannot determine whether each document set corresponds to a specific shipment.

FM5: Credit Prohibits Partial Shipments — Beneficiary Ships in Two Consignments

The credit states "partial shipments not allowed." The beneficiary ships the goods in two consignments with two separate bills of lading. Under UCP 600 Art 31(b), this is not permitted. The bank will refuse the presentation because the goods were not shipped as a single consignment.

Deterministic Resolution Architecture

Step 1: Determine Whether Partial Shipments Are Permitted

Read the credit for the partial shipment clause:
- "Partial shipments allowed" or silent → permitted (UCP 600 Art 31(c)).
- "Partial shipments not allowed" → prohibited (UCP 600 Art 31(b)).
- "Partial shipments prohibited" → prohibited.

Step 2: If Partial Shipments Are Prohibited, Verify Single Shipment

Confirm that all goods are shipped in one consignment under a single transport document. Multiple transport documents from different shipment points constitute a partial shipment and violate the credit.

Step 3: If Partial Shipments Are Permitted, Identify Each Consignment

For each partial shipment, identify:
- The transport document and its shipment date.
- The invoice and its quantity.
- The packing list and its quantities.
- Any other quantity-bearing documents (weight certificates, inspection reports).

Step 4: Cross-Reference Quantities Across Documents

For each consignment, verify:
- Invoice quantity = Transport document quantity.
- Packing list quantity = Transport document quantity.
- Weight certificate (if required) = Transport document quantity.
- All quantities are consistent under ISBP 745 A2.

Step 5: Verify Cumulative Quantities Against the Credit

Sum the quantities from all partial shipment invoices. The total must equal the credit quantity (subject to any tolerance under ISBP 745 B12).

Step 6: Check Each Invoice Against the Credit's Minimum/Maximum

If the credit specifies a minimum and maximum quantity for each partial shipment, verify that each invoice falls within the range.

Step 7: Issue the Refusal Notice

If any quantity discrepancy is found:
- State the discrepancy: "Invoice shows [X] widgets but transport document shows [Y] widgets, contrary to ISBP 745 B11."
- Include the reference to the applicable ISBP or UCP article.

Conclusion

Partial shipment quantities must be consistent across all documents within each consignment and must collectively satisfy the credit's total quantity requirement. ISBP 745 B11 and UCP 600 Art 31 provide the governing rules. Practitioners should advise beneficiaries to prepare separate, clearly identified document sets for each partial shipment and to cross-check quantities across invoices, transport documents, and packing lists before presentation.

FAQ

Q1: Can the beneficiary present documents for all partial shipments at once?

Yes, if all partial shipments have been completed and the documents are presented within the credit's validity and latest presentation date. The bank will examine each document set against the credit requirements.

Q2: What if the credit allows partial shipments but does not specify quantities per shipment?

The beneficiary has discretion to determine the quantity of each partial shipment, provided the cumulative total equals the credit quantity. Each partial shipment's documents must be internally consistent.

Q3: Can the invoice for a partial shipment show the total credit quantity?

No. Under ISBP 745 B11, the invoice must show the quantity actually shipped in the partial consignment. Showing the total credit quantity on a partial shipment invoice creates a conflict with the transport document.

Q4: Does the tolerance under ISBP 745 B12 apply to each partial shipment or the total?

The 10% tolerance applies to each partial shipment individually, not to the cumulative total. Each partial shipment quantity must fall within the tolerance of the quantity specified (or the total if the credit does not specify per-shipment quantities).

Q5: Can the beneficiary ship more than the credit quantity in a partial shipment?

If the credit specifies a maximum quantity per partial shipment, exceeding it is a discrepancy. If the credit does not specify a maximum, the beneficiary may ship any quantity, provided the cumulative total does not exceed the credit amount without an amendment.

Source Notes

Context only — no direct article text was extracted from these sources during research:

• ICC Academy — A Guide to Types of Documentary Credit (ICC Academy, 2024)
• ICC Academy — 11 Questions That Will Help You Master Documentary Credits (ICC Academy, 2024)
• ICC Academy — Certified UCP 600 Specialist (CUCP) (ICC Academy, 2025)
• ICC — Commentary on UCP 600 (International Chamber of Commerce, 2019)
• ICC — UCP 600 Including eUCP Version 2.1 (International Chamber of Commerce, 2023)