Import Export Course

Lesson 1 • Types of Trade and Market Entry

Distinguishes direct export, indirect export, countertrade, and re-export models. Students select the appropriate entry mode for a given product and market scenario.

Lesson 2 • Key Players in International Trade

Identifies importers, exporters, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and regulators. Understanding each role clarifies responsibilities throughout the trade transaction lifecycle.

Lesson 3 • Why Nations Trade

Covers comparative advantage, absolute advantage, and trade specialisation. Establishes the economic rationale that underpins every import-export decision made later in the course.

Lesson 1 • Certificates and Compliance Documents

Covers certificates of origin, phytosanitary certificates, inspection certificates, and health certificates. These documents prove product compliance and unlock preferential duty rates.

Lesson 2 • Bills of Lading and Airway Bills

Explains negotiable and non-negotiable bills of lading, sea waybills, and airway bills. Each document type carries distinct legal and financial implications for cargo ownership.

Lesson 3 • Document Management and Digitisation

Introduces electronic document platforms, paperless trade initiatives, and document archiving standards. Digital document management reduces errors and accelerates customs processing.

Lesson 4 • Commercial Invoice and Packing List

Details the compulsory fields, valuation methods, and formatting standards for commercial invoices and packing lists. Errors in these documents trigger customs queries and shipment holds.

Lesson 1 • Duties, Taxes, and Fees

Explains ad valorem, specific, and compound duties alongside import taxes and port fees. Students calculate landed cost accurately to support pricing and sourcing decisions.

Lesson 2 • Customs Valuation Methods

Covers the six internationally recognised valuation methods and their application hierarchy. Proper valuation prevents under- or over-payment of duties and avoids fraud allegations.

Lesson 3 • Harmonised System Classification

Teaches the structure of the Harmonised System code and classification methodology. Correct classification determines duty rates, restrictions, and statistical reporting obligations.

Lesson 4 • Customs Compliance Programmes

Introduces authorised economic operator programmes, internal compliance audits, and record-keeping requirements. Compliance programmes reduce inspection frequency and build trade partner trust.

Lesson 1 • Sales Contract Fundamentals

Covers essential clauses in an international sales contract including price, payment, delivery, and dispute resolution. A well-drafted contract is the primary risk management tool in trade.

Lesson 2 • Incoterms Framework Overview

Introduces the purpose, structure, and legal standing of Incoterms rules. Understanding the framework prevents costly misinterpretations of delivery and risk transfer points.

Lesson 3 • Agency and Distribution Agreements

Explains the difference between agents and distributors and the key contractual protections for each. Selecting the right structure affects liability, market control, and tax exposure.

Lesson 1 • Cargo Insurance and Risk

Covers marine cargo insurance clauses, insurable interest, claims procedures, and risk mitigation. Uninsured cargo losses can eliminate profit margins on entire trade transactions.

Lesson 2 • Ocean Freight Operations

Covers FCL and LCL shipments, container types, booking procedures, and vessel scheduling. Ocean freight carries the majority of global trade volume by weight.

Lesson 3 • Air Freight Operations

Explains chargeable weight calculation, airline allotments, and time-sensitive cargo handling. Air freight is essential for high-value, perishable, or urgent shipments.

Lesson 4 • Modes of International Transport

Compares ocean, air, road, rail, and multimodal freight on cost, speed, and suitability. Mode selection directly affects landed cost, lead time, and carbon footprint.

Lesson 1 • Payment Risk Spectrum

Maps payment methods from open account to cash in advance on a risk-reward continuum. Understanding risk exposure guides the choice of payment instrument in every transaction.

Lesson 2 • Trade Finance Instruments

Introduces export credit, supply chain finance, factoring, forfaiting, and bank guarantees. These instruments unlock working capital and extend competitive payment terms to buyers.

Lesson 3 • Letters of Credit in Depth

Explains irrevocable, confirmed, standby, and transferable letters of credit and their document requirements. Letters of credit are the most widely used instrument for managing payment risk.

Lesson 4 • Foreign Exchange Risk Management

Covers currency exposure types, forward contracts, options, and natural hedging strategies. Unmanaged currency risk can erode margins even when trade terms are favourable.

Lesson 1 • Tariff Structures and Schedules

Explains bound rates, applied rates, tariff peaks, and tariff escalation across product categories. Reading a tariff schedule accurately is a prerequisite for market access analysis.

Lesson 2 • Free Trade Agreements

Covers FTA types, negotiated tariff concessions, and the process for claiming preferential rates. FTAs can eliminate or significantly reduce duties on qualifying goods.

Lesson 3 • Non-Tariff Barriers and Market Access

Identifies technical barriers, sanitary measures, import quotas, and licensing restrictions. Non-tariff barriers often pose greater market access challenges than tariffs.

Lesson 4 • Trade Remedies and Disputes

Covers anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures and the dispute settlement process. Understanding trade remedies protects exporters from sudden market access disruptions.

Lesson 1 • Export Plan Development

Integrates market, pricing, channel, and compliance decisions into a written export plan. A documented plan aligns internal teams and supports financing and government grant applications.

Lesson 2 • Pricing for Export Markets

Builds export price from factory cost through landed cost to retail shelf price. Accurate export pricing ensures competitiveness without sacrificing margin.

Lesson 3 • Export Readiness Assessment

Evaluates product adaptability, production capacity, financial resources, and management commitment. Readiness gaps identified here shape the entire export planning process.

Lesson 4 • Channel and Partner Selection

Evaluates agents, distributors, joint ventures, and direct sales channels for market entry. Channel choice determines speed to market, control, and long-term profitability.