Grúa Payment Terms Explained: T/T, L/C and Where the Risk Actually Sits
Payment structure is the second negotiation after price, and on a crane order it carries more risk than on a container of fasteners. A 50-ton QD double-girder overhead crane is not a stock item — once steel is cut for your span and capacity, it belongs to you. That is why almost every export crane order settles into one of two structures: 30/70 T/T or L/C at sight. Here is how each works, what it costs, and how to split the risk fairly.
Why Grúa Orders Rarely Use Open Account Terms
Suppliers build to order. A QD 5–150T universal double-girder, an RMG rail-mounted container gantry, or a PSH puzzle-stack parking system is engineered against your span, lift height, duty class and site voltage. If the buyer walks away at the loading port, the supplier holds a machine that fits one site in the world. Conversely, a buyer wiring 100% upfront to a factory 8,000 km away carries all the performance risk. The 30/70 split exists to balance those two exposures.
30/70 T/T: The Default Structure
The standard arrangement on most Chunhua Grúa export orders is 30% deposit by T/T on order confirmation, 70% balance before shipment.
What the 30% Deposit Does
- Locks material allocation. Q345B plate and Q235B structural steel are ordered against your release; the deposit is what makes that purchase order real.
- Funds engineering. General arrangement drawings, wheel-load calculations and GB/T 3811 or FEM 1.001 verification start here.
- Caps your exposure. If the supplier fails, you have lost 30% — not 100%.
What the 70% Balance Protects
The balance is your leverage. Hold it until you have seen the pre-shipment inspection record and the certification pack. For an LD single-girder 0.5–20T this is a short cycle; for a YZ metallurgical 5–125T crane or a shipbuilding gantry, insist on a witnessed load test before the balance moves.
Typical Milestone Schedule
- 30% — order confirmation, drawings released
- 70% — after FAT and before booking/loading
- Optional 10% retention — released after commissioning, if you negotiate it in
L/C at Sight: When the Amount Justifies the Cost
An irrevocable letter of credit at sight shifts the primary risk to the banks. It is worth the fees above roughly USD 100,000, or whenever you are buying from a supplier you have not audited in person.
How the Money Moves
- Buyer's bank issues an irrevocable L/C in favour of the supplier.
- Supplier ships and presents documents to its bank.
- Documents travel to the issuing bank; payment releases at sight on compliant presentation.
The Document Set That Actually Matters
- Bill of lading (check consignee and notify party wording carefully)
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Certificate of origin (Form E, CO, or as required for your market)
- Certificate of conformity — CE, EAC (TR CU 010/020), GCC/SASO, SONCAP or KEBS depending on destination
- Inspection certificate, if a pre-shipment inspection clause is written in
Where L/Cs Go Wrong
Most rejections are clerical, not commercial. A model description reading "LH 20T" on the invoice against "LH hoist double-girder 20T" on the L/C is a discrepancy. Spell out full model designations — LD, LH, QD, YZ, QDS, MH, MG, RMG, PSH, PCS, PCX, PPYL, KBK, BZD, BX, MD/CD, DHP — exactly as they appear on the contract, and match every unidad, weight and quantity.
Comparing the Two Structures
- 30/70 T/T — lowest bank cost, fastest release, best for repeat orders and established suppliers. Buyer carries performance risk until the balance is paid.
- L/C at sight — bank-backed, document-controlled, strongest protection for first orders and large values. Adds bank charges and 1–2 weeks of administrative time.
- Hybrid — 30% T/T deposit plus L/C for the 70% balance. Common on gantry and parking system projects where the buyer wants bank control but the supplier needs early cash for steel.
Practical Advice Before You Sign
- Tie the balance to an event, not a date. "Before shipment" is enforceable; "within 60 days" is not.
- Name the inspection. State who inspects, against which standard, and what happens if it fails.
- Match the Incoterm to the payment. FOB with 70% before shipment is clean; CIF with the same terms means you pay for freight before you can verify the cargo.
- Confirm certification scope in writing. CE, EAC and SASO each cover different components — agree which certificates ship with the crane.
- Keep the warranty trigger clear. The 12-month warranty should start from commissioning or arrival, whichever you negotiate, and be stated in the contract, not just the quotation.
- Use a payment route you can trace. Bank-to-bank only; avoid third-party accounts.
Getting a Quote With Terms Attached
Chunhua Grúa works with no MOQ, a 4-hour quote SLA, and 30–45 day production across 5 categories and 81 standard models — from LD single-girder 0.5–20T and KBK light rail systems to QD 5–150T double-girder cranes and PSH puzzle-stack parking. Components are sourced from Schneider, Siemens, ABB and SEW, and design can follow GB/T 3811 or, on request, FEM 1.001, DIN 15018 or CMAA #70.
Enviar your span, capacity, lift height, duty class and destination port, and you will receive a quotation with the payment structure stated explicitly. WhatsApp +86 193 9277 7259 or email yuhua0095@gmail.com.