The ABTS® International Trade Mastery Programme has been developed for those, no experience necessary, looking to set-up their own import export business or start a new career in international trade.
Teaching you everything from the ground up, with practical, real-world lessons, you’ll launch your business with a major advantage; knowing how to control costs, maximise profits and get deals done.
Taught with a series of pre-recorded videos, study in your own time, at your own pace, with no start or end date.
24/7 support available from our newly developed AI tool, developed from a range of data, drawn from Alan’s videos, books, course materials and private archives.
Subtitles available in English
The ABTS® International Trade Mastery Programme consists of four courses:
1. Understanding Export Documentation and Procedure
2. How to Start a Successful Freight Forwarding Business
3. How to Start a Successful Import Agency Business
4. How to Buy and Sell Using a Letter of Credit
Understanding Export Documentation and Procedure
The ABTS® “Understanding Export Documentation and Procedure” course is designed to equip you with the practical knowledge essential for successful international trade. Upon completion, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the export process, enabling you to handle customs authorities, navigate export regulations, manage shipping documents, and oversee import procedures confidently.
Understanding Incoterms 2020
- What Incoterms are and why they matter in global trade
- How Incoterms help define responsibilities between buyers and sellers
- Understanding packaging and shipping considerations
- Where to find Incoterms 2020 information
Marine Insurance
- Choosing the right insurance for your goods
- How to read and understand an insurance certificate
Certificates of Origin and Preferential Trading
- What certificates of origin are and their role in trade
- Benefits of preferential trading for lower costs
Introduction to Customs Management
- Finding the right tariff code (HS Code)
- How to delay or defer customs duties and taxes
- What bonded warehouses are and how they work
Import Procedures
- Understanding import documentation
- Why you should Use a clearing agent
- Import licenses: when are they required?
Import Regimes and Benefits
- What anti-dumping duties and tariff quotas are
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Tariff Quotas
Sea Freight and Shipping
- Conference line vs independant line
- Understanding sea freight rates
- The role of freight forwarders and how they help with shipments
- Containerization and Container Types
- Cost centres for sea freight
Carriage by Sea
- Types of bills of lading
- The importance of “Clean” bills of lading
- Issuance of bills of lading
- Bills of lading instructions
Air Freight
- Master and house air waybills explained
- The role of the consolidator
- Volume metric weight and air freight calculation
- Cost centres for air freight
Self Assessment
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- A final review of the course material and assessment to test your knowledge
How to Start a Successful Freight Forwarding Business
The ABTS® “How to Start a Successful Freight Forwarding Business” is designed to provide practical, real-world knowledge for establishing and growing your own successful freight forwarding business. Upon completion, you will have a comprehensive understanding of how to establish a freight forwarding business successfully, from initial setup to securing clients to managing logistics and scaling operations, whilst managing your risk and maximising profits.
Starting Your Own Freight Forwarding Business – Must Know
- Legal Considerations Before You Start
- Tools of the Trade
- Example terms of trading
Third Parties Involved in Freight Forwarding
- The Role of a Freight Forwarder
- Utilising Third-Party Providers
- Local Haulage
- Efficient Documentation
How Does a Freight Forwarder Make Their Profit?
- Profit Centres in Freight Forwarding
- Key to Profitability
- Top 10 Tips to Maximize Profitability and Maintain Success as a Freight Forwarder
- Freight Management Systems (FMS) and tracking software
Hazardous Cargo Packing For Air and Sea
- IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code)
- IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR)
How to Find Shipping Lines and Air Lines
- Where to Obtain Freight Rates
- What to Look For When Choosing Shipping Lines and Airlines
How to Find Freight Forwarding Clients
- Tips on How To Find New Freight Forwarding Clients
How to Start a Successful Import Agency Business
The ABTS® “How to Start a Successful Import Agency Business” course is designed to provide practical, real-world knowledge for establishing and running a successful and profitable import agency. The course focuses on actionable insights that will help you start and manage your own import agency.
Setting Up Your New Agency Business
- Common questions answered
- The importance of market research
- Diversifying your product line
- Getting your agency business started
Establishing What Type of Agent You’ll Be
- What is a commission agent?
- What is a stockist agent?
- The role of a procurement agent in international trade and sourcing.
How to Identify Worldwide Suppliers
- Preferential trading countries.
- Fake Goods: How to protect yourself from counterfeit goods during international sourcing.
Negotiation Skills
- Methods of Persuasion
- Essential negotiation techniques and strategies for success in international trade.
- Effective persuasion tactics for dealing with suppliers and customers.
- Setting Your Objectives: The LIM
Market Research
- Who will buy my product?
- Expanding market research for importers.
- Pricing my product.
How to Find Buyers as an Import Agent
- Effective strategies for sourcing buyers and growing your import business.
Setting Up Your Own Sales Force
- How to build and manage a successful sales team to drive growth and increase sales.
BONUS CONTENT
- Guest speaker: Selling tips from cold calling to closing the sale
- Product demo from Vujis.com
How to Buy and Sell Using a Letter of Credit
The ABTS® “How to Buy and Sell Using a Letter of Credit” course is designed to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of Letters of Credit (LCs) and their application as a method of payment in international trade. Upon completion of this course, you will have a thorough understanding of how to effectively use Letters of Credit in international trade, ensuring secure and efficient transactions.
Introduction to Letters of Credit
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- What is a Letter of Credit?
- Key Components of a Letter of Credit
- Parties Involved in a Letter of Credit
Understanding the Parties Involved in a Letter of Credit
- A sale is not a sale until your get paid
- What is a letter of credit
- Key components of a letter of credit
- Types of letters of credit
How To Open a Workable Letter of Credit
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- Key Payment terms and methods
- Key terms in a letter of credit
Understanding UCP 600
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- The Importance of UCP 600
- The Role of UCP 600 in Letter of Credit Documents
Bills of Exchange
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- Understanding the Bill of Exchange (Draft)
The Role of Third Parties
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- Important Questions for Third Parties
- How to Handle a Non-Compliant Presentation
Bonus: An Introduction to Cash Against Documents
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- Advantages and disadvantages of using cash against documents

Take the step and do the course
Just completed the Start your own Import Export agency business course and I will defiantly be continuing forward and paying for ABTS"s other 2 courses. Alan teaches in a no nonsense straight to the point approach and always speaks from experience to save us the students from the mistakes he made. Plus Alan is always available for a call should you need any thing. If you are serious about getting started in international trade learn through ABTS as Alan has"been there done that" which is invaluable.









Without Exaggerating…
Without exaggerating, this course really is insightful, and after studying it the right way and asking questions about what you didn't understand; you should be able to have full knowledge about importing/exporting procedures, international trade procedures, and mental preparation in dealing will all situations that comes with both. I would definitely recommend this course if anyone ask me.










The course has been great to build on my previous knowledge and experience
I completed ABTS letter of credit course. The course has been great to build on my previous knowledge and experience. Alan is very knowledgable, the course is set out very well. Alan is also very helpful and always quick to respond to queries. I highly recommend courses with ABTS









Empowering Education for a Self Reliant and Empowered Future
As a novice with no previous experience, I am extremely happy that I took the three-course bundle; it has excellent long-term value. I can go back for guidance anytime I'm stuck or need a refresher in the future. The bundle was well-rounded and progressive. Alan offers a bonafide and insightful curriculum, along with invaluable support and a light humourous joke or two along the way to keep you enagaged. I also got invaluable advice/consultation when I decided to start-up after finishing the courses. This not only gave me the confidence to start my own enterprise but also the support, knowledge and skills required to work day-to-day in the sector mid recession - what more can i ask for. A very good course, without any cheesy upsells!









Truly an amazing mentor with huge experience in the field.
After completing the ABTS training course I felt extremely confident to start my own import export agency. The lectures were very clear and informative. Mr. Alan is very approachable and is always there to help his students in every step of their career. He’s truly an amazing mentor with huge experience in the field.










Comprehensive & practical course
This course is the ESSENCE of what you really need to know if you want to become an agent. It gives practical knowledge how efficiently orientate yourself in this business. I found Alan's tips based on his experience extremely useful as it pointed out what I should watch out not to make losses but to make a successful business deal. The course material is presented in such a simple and easy to understand manner. Highly recommend!









Course Tailored made for you…
I signed up with ABTS in May after deliberating between few other online courses. I had a phone call from Alan explaining me about the course itself, the modules and the topics covered and as soon as I put the phone down, I signed up with ABTS. This course is tailored made and explains you exactly what you need to know and how to put your knowledge into practice. Alan is great and takes time to explain every detail supported with a lot of examples from his personal experience. Thank you Alan.










Excellent Service
Dealing with ABTS has been a really positive experience throughout. Everyone is very friendly and responsive. Alan’s knowledge on import and export is excellent. We are so pleased to have found ABTS and would highly recommend if you need advise. We will be using ABTS for our needs moving forward.










International trade 5*
International trade is a tricky topic to grasp, and it's even harder to teach it in an accessible way. But that's exactly what Alan's course manages to achieve. Armed with the knowledge and applied examples provided during the course, I now have a clear understanding of international trade documentation and the overall process. Thank you!









A clear understanding of International Trade
This is a very enlightening well thought through training school. Should you wish to understand the mechanics of international trade, then Alan Bracken's teachings are in my opinion the best on the market. The content is thorough and covers all aspects of import export and gives the student all the tools to start their own business in foreign trade.









Thanks for creating such a masterpiece platform
I was in a mood of Entering into the export import industry from my early hood. That's why I was wandering about the best course online. After a huge research I found ABTS Logistics at the end that seeming to be fulfilling my desire. Thanks Alan & the whole team for creating such a masterpiece platform. Want to stay with you forever as from the day one.










Great, up to date course with helpful course tutor
I am enjoying the course so far, I have learned a lot. Any questions I have had so far have been answered by Alan. The course is concise and has been updated for the new incoterms and also for changes after Brexit. Very useful course notes available to download as well as references to useful documents. I would recommend this course to anyone looking to start a business in international trade.
Best Course Ever
Before coming to ABTS, I did joined another course costs me $1200. They give me too much general information. Then I decided to take another cost of Mr. Alan. It's so much different, it is so much practical, easy to understand. And it is specifically that you can communicate or get support directly from Mr. Alan. This is the best course ever, it is worth with your money. Don't miss it.









Great Value Quality Import/Export Training
An excellent Import/Export course that will give anyone who wants to pursue a career in this interesting area of work a good grounding in knowledge. Students can do the course at their your own speed knowing that help is available should they have any questions. I thoroughly recommend this course.










Excellent course
I´ve just finished the Import Export Documentation Procedure course. I really enjoyed it, it is an excellent course to do if you are new to international trade or if you want to refresh your knowledge. The course is well structured and very practical. I would highly recommend it. Alan is very helpful and so is his feedback.










The best online logistic course ever.
In my opinion the best online logistic course ever. I am new in import/export but the course did teach me everything about international trade in very easy way. The support from Alan was always there whenever I had question. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone.










The most worthy practical logistics online course EVER!
I believe it's the most worthy practical logistics online course EVER! The online tutor helped me a lot to understand what I don't get. Even I met the main tutor after finishing the course for discussing questions. The tutor went through my CV too. I feel I have my helper for learning the knowledge of logistics and getting a job.










All I needed from an international trade course
Before I took the ABTS online course, I was working as a Customer Service Assistant. The online course thought me everything about international trade, import and exporting and it helped me to find a job in a supply chain department. The support for Mr Alan Bracken and his team was always there whenever I had questions while I was working in supply chain. After working in 4 years in my last company, I am now responsible for all import and exporting processes in our successfully run family business. Thank you for everything ABTS! Semra Arslan