TTV (TTVIA): FOB Tank to Vessel Injection Agreement Process Explained

A tank-to-vessel injection deal can look simple on paper: confirm the product, inspect the tank, inject into the vessel, pay the seller, and transfer title. In practice, every step depends on timing, documents, terminal access, and trust between parties.

The FOB Tank to Vessel Injection Agreement Process Explained below breaks the procedure into plain English. It follows the common sequence used in fuel commodity transactions where the product is stored in a leased tank and the buyer lifts it by vessel.

This article is informational only. Petroleum trading, FOB terms, inspection rights, payment instruments, and title transfer should be reviewed by qualified legal, banking, and logistics professionals before any transaction moves forward.

Tank-to-vessel deals depend on terminal access, inspection, and clear timing.

TTV (TTVIA):What a tank-to-vessel injection agreement does

A Tank-to-Vessel Injection Agreement, often called a TTVIA, is the document that connects the commercial sale to the physical movement of product.

In a typical FOB structure, the seller has product available in a shore tank. The buyer arranges a vessel or storage option and provides logistics support. Once inspection and operational checks are complete, the product is injected from the seller’s tank through the terminal pipeline system into the buyer’s vessel.

The agreement usually confirms:

• The identity of the seller, buyer, and logistics company

• The product type and available quantity

• The tank location or terminal reference

• The buyer’s vessel or receiving storage details

• Inspection rights before injection

• Responsibility for terminal and logistics coordination

• The point where product custody and title will transfer

• Documents to be released after injection

• Payment timing and method

  
  

FOB means Free on Board. In many commodity deals, that means the seller delivers the product to the agreed loading point, while the buyer handles the vessel and onward transportation. Exact obligations depend on the signed contract, the terminal rules, and the Incoterms version used by the parties.

The TTVIA does not replace the commercial contract. It supports it. The core sale terms still need to appear in the commercial invoice, sales and purchase agreement, or other binding transaction documents.

The main parties in the process

A TTVIA transaction involves more than a buyer and seller. The process can slow down if any party is unclear about its role.

Party	Main role
Buyer	Issues the purchase request, provides company and KYC documents, arranges vessel or storage, and pays after the agreed trigger
Seller	Confirms available product, issues the commercial invoice, coordinates with storage, and transfers title after payment
Storage company or terminal	Controls physical tank access, issues operational readiness notices, and manages injection procedures
Logistics company	Supports the buyer’s vessel, cargo scheduling, and terminal coordination
Inspection company	Conducts dip tests, sampling, quantity checks, and quality checks
Intermediaries	Receive commission only if properly named in signed fee protection documents

A frequent mistake is treating intermediaries as if they control the product. They may introduce parties or support communication, but the seller, terminal, inspector, and buyer’s logistics provider must be verified independently.

Step 1. The buyer submits the ICPO and acceptance documents

The process usually begins when the buyer issues an Irrevocable Corporate Purchase Order, known as an ICPO. This document states the buyer’s intent to purchase a defined product and quantity under the seller’s procedure.

The buyer may also submit:

• Company registration or incorporation documents

• Authorized signatory identification

• Proof of authority to act for the company

• Acceptance of the seller’s transaction procedure

• Basic KYC information requested by the seller

  
  

Sensitive identification documents should move through a secure compliance channel. They should not be passed through informal messaging or unsecured email chains. If a passport data page or similar document is required, both sides should confirm why it is needed, who will receive it, and how it will be stored.

A strong ICPO is specific. It should name the product, quantity, delivery basis, target port or terminal, inspection terms, payment method, and validity period. A vague ICPO creates room for disagreement later.

Step 2. The seller issues the commercial invoice

After reviewing the buyer’s submission, the seller issues a Commercial Invoice, often shortened to CI. This document sets out the available quantity of product in the seller’s leased tank and the price basis for the transaction.

The buyer signs and returns the CI. In many tank-to-vessel procedures, the buyer also returns one of two logistics documents:

• Charter Party Agreement

  
  

This shows the buyer has arranged or chartered a vessel capable of receiving the product.

• Tank Storage Agreement

  
  

This shows the buyer has an approved tank or storage arrangement if the product will not move directly into a vessel.

The purpose is practical. The seller and terminal need confidence that the buyer can receive the product once the injection window opens. Without a vessel, storage, or valid logistics plan, the transaction can stall even if the buyer signs the invoice.

The commercial invoice should match the product details in the ICPO. Product name, quantity, price, currency, delivery term, tank reference, and payment instruction should not conflict across documents.

The buyer’s logistics must be ready before injection can begin.

Step 3. The seller issues the TTVIA for endorsement

Once the buyer returns the signed CI and logistics proof, the seller issues the TTVIA. The agreement is then endorsed by the seller, buyer, and buyer’s logistics company.

This endorsement matters because injection is an operational event, not just a paperwork milestone. The terminal needs clear confirmation that the correct parties have agreed to the movement. The logistics company must know the injection schedule, vessel readiness requirements, safety rules, and communication chain.

A complete TTVIA should identify:

• Product type and quantity

• Seller’s tank or storage reference

• Buyer’s vessel or receiving facility

• Injection date or operational window

• Inspection company and testing rights

• Pipeline or transfer method

• Documents released after injection

• Payment requirement after injection

• Title transfer conditions

  
  

If any party refuses to sign or endorse the TTVIA, the transaction should pause. A buyer should not mobilize a vessel or inspection team without a signed path to access and injection. A seller should not authorize terminal activity without proof that the buyer can receive and pay under the agreed terms.

Step 4. The buyer conducts the dip test

After the endorsed TTVIA is returned, the buyer’s inspection team conducts a dip test on the product in the tank. This step confirms basic physical facts before cargo transfer.

A dip test may involve checking:

• Tank level and estimated quantity

• Product sampling

• Product density

• Water presence

• Temperature

• General quality indicators

• Alignment with the product specification

  
  

Inspection companies such as SGS are often named in commodity procedures, but the exact inspection company should be agreed by both parties and accepted by the terminal. The inspector must have access approval from the storage company. Without terminal access, no valid inspection can happen.

The buyer should receive a clear inspection result before authorizing injection. If the dip test result is not satisfactory, the buyer should follow the rejection or dispute process in the contract. That may include a second test, a different inspector, or termination, depending on the signed terms.

The seller’s storage company may then issue a Notice of Readiness, often called NOR. This confirms the terminal or storage side is ready to inject the product under the agreed procedure.

Inspection protects both sides before product leaves the tank.

Step 5. Injection takes place from tank to vessel

Once the dip test is accepted and the NOR is issued, the operational phase begins. The seller, storage company, buyer’s logistics company, vessel crew, and inspector coordinate the transfer.

During injection, product moves from the seller’s tank through the terminal pipeline system into the buyer’s receiving vessel or approved storage. The exact process depends on the terminal layout and safety rules.

The key concerns during injection are:

• Correct line-up of tank, pipeline, and vessel manifold

• Metering or volume measurement

• Pumping rate

• Safety checks

• Communication between shore and vessel

• Sampling during or after transfer

• Completion certificate or pipeline report

  
  

The buyer should not treat injection as a casual handoff. Once product moves into the buyer’s vessel, the financial exposure changes. That is why the contract must state exactly when risk transfers and when title transfers.

In many procedures, risk or custody may shift at loading, while legal title may transfer only after payment is received. Those are not always the same thing. The signed contract should make the difference clear.

Step 6. The seller releases proof of product documents

After injection is completed, the seller releases the agreed proof of product and cargo documents. The procedure commonly lists several core records.

Document	What it helps prove
Product SGS Report	Independent inspection findings on product quality and quantity
Pipeline Injection Report	Confirmation that product was injected through the terminal system
Authority to Sell and Collect	Seller’s authority to sell and receive payment for the product
Product passport or analysis report	Technical product specifications and test data
Certificate of Origin	Country or origin details for the product
NCNDA/IMFPA	Fee protection and commission arrangement for named intermediaries

These documents should be checked against the contract and invoice. Names, product details, quantity, dates, tank references, vessel details, and signatures should align.

A genuine document set should also make operational sense. For example, an injection report should match the terminal movement. An inspection report should match the sampled product. A certificate of origin should fit the product being sold. If documents conflict, the buyer should pause payment until the issue is explained and corrected.

Step 7. The buyer pays by MT103 wire transfer

After the product value has been injected and the agreed documents are released, the buyer pays the seller through MT103 TT wire transfer, if that is the payment method stated in the contract.

MT103 is a SWIFT payment message used for international wire transfers. It is not a guarantee by itself. It is evidence that a payment instruction has been sent through the banking system. Sellers often wait for cleared funds before completing final title transfer.

The payment clause should answer several practical questions:

• Which bank account receives funds

• What currency is used

• Who pays bank fees

• What payment deadline applies after injection

• What document package triggers payment

• What happens if funds are delayed

• When final title transfer occurs

  
  

The seller then pays intermediaries according to the signed NCNDA/IMFPA, if such agreements are valid and part of the transaction. Intermediary payments should not interfere with title transfer, cargo release, or the buyer’s lawful ownership rights.

Step 8. Title transfers to the buyer

The closing step is title change or title transfer. After the seller receives payment, the seller issues the title transfer documents to the buyer.

This is the moment that confirms the buyer’s ownership of the injected product, subject to the exact wording of the contract. The buyer should make sure the title transfer document identifies:

• Seller and buyer legal names

• Product type

• Quantity transferred

• Vessel or storage reference

• Delivery basis

• Date of transfer

• Authorized signatures

• Any final supporting document references

  
  

Title transfer should not rely on verbal confirmation. The buyer needs a written record that aligns with the payment, injection report, inspection documents, and commercial invoice.

The title transfer should match the physical movement and payment record.

Common risks to check before signing

Tank-to-vessel procedures can fail when parties rush. The documents may look familiar, but the transaction still needs verification.

Key risks include:

• Product that cannot be independently inspected

• Tank storage claims that the terminal does not confirm

• Unsigned or conflicting invoices

• Vessel details that do not match the buyer’s logistics documents

• Payment instructions changed late in the process

• Unclear title transfer language

• Intermediary fee claims not backed by signed documents

• Pressure to pay before inspection or injection

• Refusal to allow direct terminal verification through approved channels

  
  

A serious seller should be able to support reasonable verification. A serious buyer should be able to prove logistics capacity and financial readiness. Both sides benefit from a clean paper trail.

Practical checklist before moving forward

Before signing a TTVIA, review the deal as a chain. Each link should connect to the next.

Use this checklist as a practical starting point:

• Confirm the seller’s legal identity and authority to sell.

• Confirm the buyer’s legal identity and signatory authority.

• Match the ICPO, commercial invoice, and TTVIA product details.

• Verify terminal or storage access through acceptable channels.

• Confirm the inspector’s appointment and access approval.

• Confirm the vessel, CPA, or TSA is valid for the transaction.

• Review the NOR conditions before injection.

• Check the document package required after injection.

• Confirm the MT103 payment instructions in the signed contract.

• Define the exact title transfer trigger.

  
  

The strongest transactions are boring in the best way. The names match. The quantities match. The tank and vessel details match. The inspection and injection records match. Payment and title transfer happen under written terms, not pressure.

A tank-to-vessel injection agreement is not just another form to sign. It is the bridge between a commercial promise and the physical movement of fuel. Treat it as an operational, legal, and financial control document. When each step is verified before the next one begins, the transaction has a far better chance of closing cleanly. TTV (TTVIA)