« The supplier gave me a price; the final invoice bears no relation to it. » Here we explain why the Incoterm creates that gap. The list of 15 lines (who bills what) is in hidden costs of an import — do not read the two pages as duplicates: one is a scope, the other an inventor
. Many importers compare two quotes as if they were the same product. A CIF Douala and a FOB Shanghai cannot be subtracted from each other. They do not include the same steps. Until the named place and the Incoterms® 2020 version are written down, the « container price » does not ex
st. References: Incoterms® 2020 (ICC), Incoterms guide for Cameroon, FOB vs CIF. There is no « Incoterms 2026 »: the official version remains
2020.1. EXW, FOB, CIF: three scopes, not three magic
| ratesIn | cotermWhat the seller typicall | y paysWhat remains to be built through to the Cameroonian war |
|---|---|---|
| eho | useEXWMaking the goods available at the f | actoryAlmost everything: export, freight, insurance, Douala, |
| tr | uckFOBThrough to on board at the port of l | oadingFreight, insurance, clearance, terminal, |
| tr | uckCIFCost + insurance + freight to the name | d portClearance, THC, storage, truck, local forma |
ities CIF Douala ≠ delivered to your warehouse. The named place is the port, not Yaounde, not your Bassa depot. A supplier who says « CIF » without naming Douala (or Kribi) and without a version leaves a hole in the contractCIF Douala Port — Incoterms® 2020AAAAAAAA, no
« CIF ». FOB is not automatically cheaper. It can be if you negotiate freight and free time suited to Douala. It can cost more if your spot freight is poor. The only honest comparison is total cost at the same delivery point, with the same HS and the same free-
ime days. For containerised goods handed to a terminal before the ship's rail, FCA is often fairer than FOB. The table of the 11 rules develops that point: here we retain only the effect on the Cameroon deliver
ed budget.2. What CIF never pays
n its own Once in Douala: clearance, CIF value, THC, storage, truck, BESC / PECAE depending on the flow. Terminal con
ext: PAD. CIF can also distort CIF value if freight and insurance are not clearly restated in the document pack — hence value holds. A « CIF » invoice that does not isolate freight forces CAMCIS to reconstruct the taxable base. This is not an accounting detail: it is a c
rcuit risk. In Cameroon, local CIMA insurance often sits in tension with the minimum cover provided for under CIF. The FOB vs CIF comparison details that trap. Do not sign a CIF believing that « insurance
is settled ».3. Worked example (a scheme, not
an ALC quote) Supplier: « CIF Douala 15
000 000 FCFA ». Still to be built: CAMCIS duties/taxes, port charges, formalities, Douala → inland, delay margin. The real budget exceeds 15 million as soon as these lines exist — the exact amount is a file costing, not a web average. Another supplier at 13 million FOB can come out cheaper, or more expensive, depending on the freight you negotiat
and on the HS. Trade proof: under CIF, demurrage free time is often the shortest, because the line is chosen by the seller. FOB or CIF recalls that this is not a single rule: the date that counts remains the one written on your contract of carriage. Four extra days on a file under inspection are enough to reverse CIF's app
rent advantage. Comparing two quotes without bringing them back to the same delivery point (same port, same HS, same free-time days) makes no sense. Ask the supplier for a FOB scenario and a CIF scenario on the same order, then have your broker add th
e local charges.4. The question to
sk the supplier Not: « What is the
ontainer price? » « Exact Incoterm, named place, Incoterms® 2020 version — and which charges remain for my ac
ount in Cameroon? » Have them list: freight, insurance, export clearance, B/L, and what is not included at destination. If the supplier cannot answer, the quote is not comparable. Check before sailing: 7 mistakes before shipment. Inventory of local lin
s: 15 hidden costs. ALC Transit, since 2017 in Douala, compares these scenarios on the real file — equipment, port, classification — not o
n a brochure tariff.Frequently a
sked questions (FAQ)Does CIF Douala include all
harges in Cameroon? No. CIF stops at the named port. Clearance, THC, possible storage, trucking and delivery remain. It is not a
warehouse delivery.Is FOB alwa
s cheaper than CIF? Not automatically. You must compare total cost at the same point, with the same classification and
the same free time.How do you compare
wo supplier quotes? Same Incoterm, same port, same local scope (customs + terminal + truck). Otherwise you are comparing two
different products.Why does tariff classification change the pri
e of the container? Because CAMCIS liquidates on HS + CIF value, not on the supplier'
commercial slogan. Before you sign, have the full cost calculat