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How we trade
Every Batho Pele Group transaction follows the same eleven stages. Nothing moves to the next stage until the documents for the current one have been verified with the people who issued them — and every party can see where the transaction stands at any time.
Our rules
Five commitments on every cargo
Verified at source
Documents supplied by any party are a starting point, not proof. Registrations, bank instruments, allocations and inspection certificates are confirmed directly with the registry, bank, terminal or inspector that issued them.
Contract before documents, security before performance
We sign the sale and purchase agreement before product documents change hands, and we require the buyer’s payment instrument to be issued and authenticated bank-to-bank before any vessel is nominated or cargo is loaded.
No upfront fees
We never pay or ask for registration, legalisation, reservation, “proof of product” or inspection fees in advance, and we do not take part in MT799, RWA, dip-and-pay or tank-to-tank procedures.
One asset, one transaction
A bank instrument, cargo or allocation supports one transaction only. Every instrument and bill of lading reference is checked against our live transactions.
Two people, every payment
No payment leaves Batho Pele Group without the approval of two directors, and only to an account that has been verified by call-back and recorded in the payee’s own name.
The process
Eleven stages, each closed by a verified gate
Stages one to four happen before anything binding is signed or any commercial document is released. Payment security is in place before any product document or vessel nomination is exchanged.
Stage 1 · Register
Every enquiry, offer or mandate receives a transaction reference and its own secure file. Offers are screened for known fraud patterns before we respond.
Stage 2 · Screen
Every party in the chain completes our due diligence: registry, directors and beneficial owners, signatory authority, bank account and sanctions screening. Intermediaries’ mandates are confirmed directly with the principal.
Stage 3 · Assess
Our directors assess price, credit, market and country risk and confirm that the payment instrument and cargo are not committed to any other transaction.
Stage 4 · Offer
Intermediary agreements (NCNDA and IMFPA) are signed and every commission disclosed. Buyer’s ICPO or LOI is signed by an authorised signatory; our offer is accepted within its validity.
Stage 5 · Contract
The sale and purchase agreement is drafted on our standard terms, reviewed by our attorneys and signed by authorised signatories. Back-to-back terms are matched line by line.
Stage 6 · Secure payment
The buyer’s bank issues an irrevocable documentary credit (MT700) or standby letter of credit (MT760), authenticated bank-to-bank by our bank before any vessel is nominated.
Stage 7 · Verify product
The refinery or terminal confirms allocation directly to us. The vessel is vetted for sanctions, AIS history and P&I cover, and an independent inspector is appointed.
Stage 8 · Load and ship
Loading is inspected; quality and quantity certificates are verified with the inspector; the bill of lading, insurance and certificate of origin are issued and checked.
Stage 9 · Deliver
Discharge is inspected, the buyer accepts quantity and quality, and title and risk pass at the agreed point.
Stage 10 · Settle
Documents are presented through the banks. Payments are made only from confirmed funds, only to verified accounts in the payee’s own name, and only with the approval of two directors.
Stage 11 · Close
Claims and demurrage are settled, the transaction is reconciled, and the complete record is sealed and time-stamped.
For our counterparties
What to expect when you trade with us
A clear list, at every stage
When a transaction reaches a new stage, each party receives an e-mail from info@bathopelegroup.com listing exactly what we need from them, with a secure upload page and a private status page for the transaction.
A receipt for every document
Each document you submit is given a digital fingerprint on receipt and you receive a confirmation. Any later alteration of a file can be detected, which protects you as much as it protects us.
Due diligence first
Every party completes our onboarding before agreements are signed. Prepare your company registration, director and shareholder identity documents, a bank confirmation letter and any trading licences.
A record that cannot be rewritten
Every document, verification and approval is recorded in a tamper-evident transaction ledger that is time-stamped daily on a public blockchain. At closing, the full transaction record is sealed.
Protect yourself
How to verify that it is really us
We write only from @bathopelegroup.com addresses. Our transaction references start with BPG-D-, and our upload and status pages are always on bathopelegroup.com or trade.bathopelegroup.com. We never change our bank details by e-mail: confirm any payment instruction by telephone on +27 83 277 4461 before you act on it.
Speak up
Report an impersonation
If someone offers product, requests fees or sends documents in our name outside these channels, please tell us immediately. Reports are treated confidentially.