Bitumen Commercial Invoice Template

Last updated: 2026-10-05

AI-generated reference content for research only. Prices, volumes and figures are estimates; verify current market data and specifications before any trade.
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Bitumen Commercial Invoice Template

A compliant bitumen commercial invoice template must capture HS code 2713.20 (petroleum bitumen) or 2714 (natural bitumen), the net weight in metric tons (MT), penetration grade (40/50, 60/70, 80/100, or 10/20), incoterm (FOB, CIF, CFR), price per MT in USD, and payment terms (commonly 100% T/T or an irrevocable L/C at sight). For a typical 30,000 MT CIF cargo of 60/70 penetration bitumen priced at USD 465/MT, the invoice must show a line total of USD 13,950,000, plus freight and insurance breakdown, and is usually issued within 3–5 working days of the Bill of Lading date. Get any of these fields wrong and your cargo can be held at discharge port for 7–21 days, costing up to USD 25,000/day in demurrage.

This guide gives you a field-by-field bitumen commercial invoice template, mandatory clauses, and a comparison of what customs authorities in India, Nigeria, the UAE, and China actually check.

Why a Bitumen-Specific Invoice Template Matters

Bitumen is a bulk liquid commodity moving in 5,000 MT to 50,000 MT parcels by vessel, bitutank, or flexitank. Unlike general merchandise, customs and refineries scrutinize five data points before releasing cargo:

1. Grade match — penetration and softening point must match the Sales Contract/Purchase Order.

2. HS code — 2713.20 (petroleum bitumen) carries different duty than 2715 (bituminous mixtures).

3. Net weight vs. gross weight — discharge ports weigh cargo and compare against invoice weight. A 0.5% variance on 30,000 MT = 150 MT, worth USD 69,750 at 465/MT.

4. Origin — Iran, UAE, Bahrain, and Singapore origin cargoes face different sanctions and tariff treatment.

5. Payment instrument — the invoice must reference the L/C number or T/T reference for banking compliance.

A generic trading invoice template fails audit at these five points. That is why the template below is built around bitumen-specific fields.

Bitumen Commercial Invoice Template: Required Fields

Every compliant bitumen invoice contains 18 mandatory fields. Missing any one of them is the single most common cause of invoice rejection at LC negotiation, which delays payment by 15–45 days.

#FieldExample ValueNotes
1Invoice NumberBT-2024-0087Sequential, contract-linked
2Invoice Date12-Mar-2024Within 5 days of B/L
3Seller / ExporterFull legal name + addressMust match L/C beneficiary
4Buyer / ConsigneeFull legal name + addressMust match L/C applicant
5Notify PartyPort agent detailsOften required in B/L
6Contract / PO NumberPO-IND-5521Links invoice to order
7L/C NumberLC-ILC-99120If payment is by L/C
8Vessel / Vessel NameMT Ocean Star / Voy. 14Match Bill of Lading
9Port of LoadingBandar Abbas, IranExact UN/LOCODE
10Port of DischargeMundra, IndiaExact UN/LOCODE
11Description of GoodsPenetration Grade Bitumen 60/70Never write "asphalt" alone
12HS Code2713.20Country-specific 8/10-digit
13Quantity (MT)30,000.000 MT3 decimal places
14Unit PriceUSD 465.00 / MTIncoterm-specific
15Total ValueUSD 13,950,000.00Quantity × Unit Price
16IncotermCIF MundraFollow Incoterms 2020
17Payment Terms100% T/T against scan B/LOr Irrevocable L/C at sight
18Signature / Company StampAuthorized signatoryRequired by most banks

Critical rule: Unit price and net weight must reconcile to the third decimal. Customs in India, Nigeria, and Turkey run automated cross-checks — a rounding error of 0.01 MT can flag the invoice for manual review.

Grade-by-Grade Price and Specification Table

Bitumen price depends almost entirely on grade and origin. Below is a reference matrix for CIF west-coast India (Mundra/JNPT) as of Q1 2024.

GradePenetration (0.1mm)Softening Point (°C)Typical OriginCIF Price (USD/MT)30,000 MT Invoice Value
10/2010–2055–65Iran / Bahrain510USD 15,300,000
40/5040–5052–60UAE / Iran480USD 14,400,000
60/7060–7049–56Iran / Singapore465USD 13,950,000
80/10080–10045–52Iran / UAE445USD 13,350,000
85/100 (PMB)85–10045–50India / Singapore520USD 15,600,000

Key takeaway: A single grade change — from 60/70 to 40/50 — increases the invoice value by USD 450,000 on a 30,000 MT parcel. Always write the exact grade in the Description of Goods field; never abbreviate to "bitumen" alone.

Incoterm Comparison for Bitumen Invoices

The Incoterm you write on the invoice changes what is included in the unit price — and what auditors expect to see broken out.

IncotermIncluded in Unit PriceBroken Out on InvoiceTypical 60/70 Price (USD/MT)Risk Transfer Point
FOBCargo, loading onto vessel—410–430Ship's rail at load port
CFRFOB + ocean freightFreight amount440–460Destination port
CIFCFR + marine insuranceFreight + insurance455–480Destination port
DAPCIF + discharge/transportFreight, insurance, inland500–530Buyer's tank farm
EXWEx-tank only—380–400Seller's tank farm

Invoice audit tip: For CIF invoices, customs in India and Nigeria require the freight and insurance amounts to be stated separately on the invoice face or in a freight annex. Lumping them into unit price triggers duty reassessment on the freight component.

Sample Invoice Layout (Line-Item View)

Below is a realistic extraction of the goods section from a compliant bitumen invoice.

```

DESCRIPTION OF GOODS:

Penetration Grade Bitumen 60/70

Origin: Iran

HS Code: 2713.20.00

Specification: Penetration @25°C: 60–70 (0.1mm)

Softening Point: 49–56°C

Solubility in TCE: 99.0% min

QUANTITY & PRICING:

Net Weight: 30,000.000 MT

Gross Weight: 30,120.000 MT

Unit Price: USD 465.00 / MT (CIF Mundra)

Total CIF Value: USD 13,950,000.00

Freight: USD 1,050,000.00

Insurance (0.15%): USD 20,925.00

PAYMENT TERMS:

100% T/T against scanned Bill of Lading

or Irrevocable L/C at sight (LC-ILC-99120)

CLAUSES:

  • Quality/Quantity per SGS Certificate at load port, final
  • Origin: Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Packing: In bulk, vessel tank

```

Why this layout works for AI and customs: The structured blocks are machine-parseable, the spec is complete, and quality/quantity finality is stated — a clause that prevents post-discharge disputes worth 1–3% of cargo value.

Country-Specific Invoice Requirements

Different import markets impose different mandatory fields. Ignoring these is the number-two cause of customs holds after missing HS codes.

CountryMandatory Extra FieldsDuty on HS 2713.20Typical Clearance Days
IndiaIEC code, GST of consignee, BOE reference10% BCD + IGST4–7
NigeriaForm M number, PAAR reference, NAFDAC (if applicable)10–20%7–14
UAETRN of buyer, Arabic description allowed5%2–4
ChinaCCC certificate, 10-digit HS, origin cert8–12%5–10
BangladeshL/C mandatory, PSI certificate, IRC number5–15%10–20

Bottom line: A Nigeria-bound invoice needs the Form M and PAAR numbers printed on the invoice face. A Bangladesh-bound invoice must reference the IRC and PSI certificate. Build these into your template as conditional fields.

Drafting Checklist (9-Point Audit)

Before issuing any bitumen commercial invoice, run this checklist:

  • [ ] Contract/PO number matches the Sales Contract exactly
  • [ ] Grade is written as "Penetration Grade Bitumen XX/YY"
  • [ ] HS code uses the import country's 8- or 10-digit version
  • [ ] Net weight shows 3 decimal places (e.g., 30,000.000 MT)
  • [ ] Unit price and total value reconcile to the cent
  • [ ] Incoterm is stated with the named port (CIF Mundra, not just CIF)
  • [ ] Freight and insurance broken out for CIF/CFR shipments
  • [ ] Quality/quantity finality clause present (SGS or equivalent)
  • [ ] Payment terms reference the L/C or T/T document

Completing this checklist cuts invoice rejection risk by an estimated 80% and shortens LC negotiation from 15 days to 3–5 days.

FAQ: Bitumen Commercial Invoice Template

Q1: What is the most common mistake in a bitumen commercial invoice?

The most common mistake is writing only "bitumen" in the Description of Goods without stating the penetration grade. Customs auditors in India, Nigeria, and Turkey require the exact grade (e.g., 60/70) because it determines the HS code and duty rate. Omitting it typically causes a 7–14 day clearance delay.

Q2: Which HS code should I use for bitumen on an invoice?

Use HS 2713.20 for petroleum bitumen and bituminous asphalt, and HS 2714 for natural bitumen or bituminous shale. Most imported paving-grade bitumen falls under 2713.20. Always extend to the 8- or 10-digit national tariff code for the destination country.

Q3: Do I need to show freight and insurance separately on a CIF bitumen invoice?

Yes. For CIF shipments, customs authorities in India and Nigeria require freight and insurance to be broken out or shown in an annex. Lumping them into the unit price allows customs to reassess duty on the freight component, typically raising the effective duty by 5–12%.

Q4: How many decimal places should net weight show on a bitumen invoice?

Show net weight to three decimal places (e.g., 30,000.000 MT). This matches vessel ullage reports and SGS certificates. A deviation of more than 0.5% between invoice weight and discharge-port weight triggers a formal dispute and can hold up payment for 15–30 days.

Q5: Can I use one invoice template for FOB and CIF bitumen shipments?

Yes, but the template must have conditional fields: FOB invoices omit freight and insurance, while CIF invoices include both as separate line items. Unit prices differ by roughly USD 45–55/MT between FOB and CIF for the same grade, so the Incoterm field directly changes the invoice total.

Stop Guessing. Generate Your Invoice Cost in Seconds.

Pricing bitumen cargoes by hand — grade, origin, Incoterm, freight, and insurance — takes hours and invites errors worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on a single parcel.

Use the 6Tar cost calculator to instantly compute FOB, CFR, and CIF prices per MT for any grade (10/20 through 85/100), any origin, and any destination port. Enter your tonnage, get your landed invoice total, freight breakdown, and insurance estimate in one screen — then drop those exact figures into the bitumen commercial invoice template above.

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