Maize origination: competing supply bases and freight choices

When two origins quote within a narrow range, the decision is not really about price. It is about which of the two parcels is more likely to arrive on specification, on time, and with documents that clear at destination.

Comparing on a delivered basis

A landed comparison has to carry the whole cost of the route: freight, expected laytime performance, inspection availability, financing cost over the transit, and the realistic probability of demurrage. Two offers that look equivalent at the loading port frequently diverge by a meaningful margin once those items are included.

Laytime risk is the item most often underestimated. A supply base with congested berths or limited nomination flexibility can erase the advantage of a lower unit price within a few days of waiting, and the party carrying that exposure is determined by contract wording written long before the vessel arrives.

Practical points of comparison

• Historic berth performance at the intended terminal, not the published capacity.
• Whether an independent inspector can attend at short notice in that port.
• Payment structure and the cost of the instrument required to support it.
• Who bears demurrage, and how laytime is counted in practice.

We prepare this comparison before recommending an origin, because the answer is often not the cheapest offer on the table. It is the one whose total cost can be stated with some confidence at the point of commitment.