1. Trust vs. Verification:
Buyers demand proof of product (POP)—fresh SGS reports, dip test results, tank storage receipts—before committing. Sellers, however, hesitate to issue full POP without financial guarantees, fearing speculative misuse or document
repurposing. This tug‑of‑war stalls transactions and strains negotiations.
2. Financial Commitments Upfront:
Sellers often ask for partial payments (or bank instruments) before issuing critical documents like TTV Injection Agreements or Dip Test Authorizations. Buyers counter by insisting on product verification first.
Misaligned funding expectations—e.g., dip‑test or storage fees—frequently break deals.
3. Cost Allocation & Fee Structure:
Who pays for dip tests, SGS, tank storage rentals, and vessel Q88 forms? Buyers expect sellers to cover this; sellers often enforce a “buyer‑pays‑all” rule unless POP documents have been fully delivered. These cost clashes delay contract sign‑offs.
4. Procedural Complexity:
TTT and TTV involve long, multi‑step processes. A typical TTV sequence:
ICPO → CI → TTVIA → PPOP → Dip‑test → NOR → Injection → POP → Payment → Title transfer.
Each step requires strict documentation and tight coordination—just one misstep can derail the deal.
5. Speed vs. Security:
TTT is slower—buyer arranges terminal access and dip tests before injection. Lower payment risk, but longer timelines.
TTV is faster—often used by experienced buyers—but carries greater upfront risk as payment comes earlier.
6. Contractual Safeguards:
Non‑Circumvention (NCNDA) and Master Fee Protection (IMFPA) agreements involving intermediaries add legal complexity. Title transfer, injection reports, Q88, and bank instruments must align perfectly.
Conclusion:
TTT and TTV transactions are intricate dances between risk, trust, speed, and
compliance. Success hinges on:
· Clearly balancing verification and payment steps
· Defining who covers operational/test costs
· Utilizing legal and financial tools to manage risk
· Aligning procedure with deal scale and relationship maturity
· By standardizing procedures—such as issuing partial POP early, sharing fees fairly, and deploying tiered safeguards—both buyers and sellers can reduce friction, build trust, and close deals more predictably.
