Responsible Trading

What each case is assessed against

• Cargo condition, including the extent and nature of any damage
• Title to the cargo and the authority of the party instructing the sale
• Documentation, including transport, insurance and commercial records
• Survey findings and the sampling on which they are based
• Laboratory results, where cargo identity or specification must be established
• Customs status, including cargo under customs control
• Intended use of the cargo after purchase
• Destination and the import requirements applying there
• Applicable product rules, including food, feed and dangerous-goods requirements
• Environmental and waste requirements in the jurisdictions involved

Our commercial role

Depending on the transaction, Pommer & Partners may act as principal buyer, purchasing the cargo on an 'as is, where is' basis for our own account; as remarketing coordinator, placing cargo into an appropriate market on behalf of the owner or insurer; or as recovery coordinator, organising the survey, handling, processing, recycling or disposal steps a case requires. The role that applies is stated at the outset, because it determines whose commercial interest is being served.

Purchasing as principal

Where we buy, we take the cargo and its commercial risk. Our offer reflects condition, handling and storage cost, regulatory constraints and the realistic route to market, and it is made in our own interest rather than as independent advice to the seller. That position is stated plainly rather than described as advisory.

Where we decline

We decline transactions where title or authority cannot be established, where documentation gaps cannot be resolved, where the intended use or destination would conflict with applicable requirements, or where the only viable route would not be lawful. Declining is part of trading responsibly, not a failure of the case.

Consistency after the sale

Cargo sold for a specific use, market or destination is sold on that basis, and buyers are expected to observe the restrictions attached to it. Where onward conduct is inconsistent with those terms, the commercial relationship is reconsidered, as set out under Supplier & Partner Standards.