Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) Practice Exam

Under FAS terms, who is responsible for lifting the cargo onboard?

1. Buyer

2. Seller

3. Freight Forwarder

4. Customs Officer

The correct answer is: Buyer

Under Free Alongside Ship (FAS) terms, the responsibility for lifting the cargo onboard the vessel lies with the seller. The seller is required to deliver the goods alongside the vessel at the designated port, at which point the risk and responsibility for the cargo transfer to the buyer, but the actual act of loading it onto the ship is typically managed by the seller or their appointed agent until that point. In the context of FAS agreements, it is essential that the seller ensures the goods are available for loading and capable of transfer to the vessel, which might include arranging such operations as stevedoring or securing the necessary permits for loading without being directly responsible for the loading process itself. However, the seller's obligation ceases once the goods are placed alongside the ship, shifting the responsibility back to the buyer for the subsequent loading operations. The other roles mentioned do not have the same responsibilities in this context. The buyer is the one who assumes risk after the goods are next to the ship. A freight forwarder facilitates logistics but does not possess responsibility under FAS terms in lifting the cargo. Customs officers deal with regulatory compliance but are unrelated to the physical handling of cargo in this instance.