Importing & Exporting
Trade Finance Services
Expertise and a world of connections.
The National Bank provides a comprehensive range of documentary trade
finance services to help exporters and importers minimise credit,
transfer, transport and exchange rate risks.
You deal with an experienced team of trade finance specialists, who have
access to a global network of international correspondent banks.
Our services include:
If your business is not with The National Bank you can still take advantage of our
expertise through a special product package.
For more information about this package or any of our trade finance services including fees & charges
and
Trade Terms (PDF 201 KB), contact one of our specialists by e-mail
or call them on 0800 528 882.
You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the PDF version.
If you don't have it, don't worry - it's free. Just follow this link
to the Adobe site to download a copy.
Documentary Collections
Documents are presented through the banking system allowing the title of goods to
transfer from the seller to the buyer once payment is made, or when there is formal
agreement to pay at an agreed future date.
The Bank does not automatically provide security of payment, although the exporter
can request this. Our lending criteria apply.
Exporters can use the documents as security for bank funding through discounted
bills of exchange.
Documentary Letters of Credit
With a letter of credit, the buyer's bank issues an irrevocable undertaking on behalf
of a buyer to pay the supplier the value of goods shipped. Payment is made only
if the documents presented to the bank comply with the terms & conditions detailed
in the letter of credit.
For the seller, a letter of credit provides assured payment because the issuing
or confirming bank is assuming the credit risk, not the buyer.
Buyers can request documents from the seller that provide evidence of the quality
of the goods and timing of shipment.
No payments are made unless the correct documentation is presented.
Letters of credit can be established and transactions monitored online from your
PC using Direct Trade Services.
To assist customers that are not familiar with the terminology and options available
to them when applying for an Import Letter of Credit, we offer a Documentary Credit Application Service (PDF 139KB). We will
take a copy of your ‘pro-forma invoice’ or ‘sales contract’, and assign a dedicated
Trade Relationship Officer, to help prepare your Documentary Credit.
Alternatively, you can complete our manual Import Documentary Credit Application/Amendment Form and
submit it to The National Bank for processing.
The National Bank transmits the Import Documentary Credit to a member of the ANZ
Group* or a correspondent bank in that country for delivery to the exporter.
There are many types of irrevocable letters of credit, each designed for specific
buyer-seller situations. The range includes:
- Back to back facilities
- Advanced clause
- Revolving
- Standby
- Transferable
Bonds and Guarantees
Bonds and guarantees are irrevocable obligations undertaken by a bank to pay a sum
of money in the event of non-performance of a contract by a third party.
Types of guarantee include:
- Bid (or tender) bonds
- Performance bonds
- Advance payment guarantees
- Retention bonds
- Shipping indemnities
- ATA carnets
- Avals.
Importer/Exporter Package
If you're not a National Bank customer, you can still take advantage of our expertise
and international connections. This competitively priced package of expert services
can be a valuable complement to your existing arrangements.
Key features of the package include:
- Online access to our dealers
- Automated international and domestic payments
- Foreign exchange facilities.
To operate this package, you simply complete a documentation pack covering markets
and international transactions, a fax indemnity and a direct debit authority. Find
out more about our
Importer/Exporter Package (PDF).
More Information
For more information including fees & charges and terms & conditions, contact
one of our trade finance specialists by email or call them on
0800 528 882.