What is a Bill of Lading?
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A bill of lading is a type of document that is used to acknowledge the receipt of a shipment of goods. A transportation company or carrier issues this document to a shipper. In addition to acknowledging the receipt of goods, a bill of lading indicates the particular vessel on which the goods have been placed, their intended destination, and the terms for transporting the shipment to its final destination.
Inland, ocean, through, and air waybill are the names given to bills of lading. An inland bill of lading is a document that establishes an agreement between a shipper and a transportation company for the transportation of goods. It is used to lay out the terms for transporting items overland to the exporter's international transportation company. An ocean bill of lading is a document that provides terms between an exporter and international carrier for the shipment of goods to a foreign location overseas.
A through bill of lading is a contract that covers the specific terms agreed to by a shipper and carrier. This document covers the domestic and international transportation of export merchandise. It provides the details of the agreed upon transportation between specific locations for a set monetary amount. An air waybill is a bill of lading that establishes terms of flights for the transportation of goods both domestically and internationally. This document also serves as a receipt for the shipper, proving the carrier's acceptance of the shipper's goods and agreement to carry those goods to a specific airport.
Essentially, an air waybill is a type of through bill of lading. This is because air waybills may cover both international and domestic transportation of goods. By contrast, ocean shipments require both inland and ocean bills of lading. Inland bills of lading are necessary for the domestic transportation of goods and ocean bills of lading are necessary for the international carriage of goods. Therefore, through bills of lading may not be used for ocean shipments.
Inland and ocean bills of lading may be negotiable or non-negotiable. If the bill of lading is non-negotiable, the transportation carrier is required to provide delivery only to the consignee named in the document. If the bill of lading is negotiable, the person with ownership of the bill of lading has the right of ownership of the goods and the right to re-route the shipment.
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32
What does the term "negotiable document" mean? - anon53495
31
in response to 30 and 27, i hope it is not too late. to amend the terms, if it will be shipped from london (same applies for nagos) it cannot be named as London FOB, the incoterms should be either FOB London or CIF India (i.e.nhava sheva). first one technically means the shipper will bear all the responsibility after the goods are on board at the origin port,latter one means shipper will bear all the responsibility until the goods are off-board at the port of destination. Please do not confuse incoterms with payment terms. for payment process generally, unless otherwise agreed, the consignee is charged for the freight when it is FOB, and the shipper is charged when CIF. - anon50591
30
I am holding now an invoice, purchase orders and bill of lading. The delivery term is FOB Japan and payment term is 30 days due net by telegraphic transfer after delivery of spare parts and invoice. My question is when will be the invoice be due? When shall I pay this invoice? Invoice date is the eighth of the month and Bill of lading date of issue is the twelfth of the same month. - anon46096
29
what is the difference between a bill of entry and bill of lading? --Md. Ataour Rahaman
- anon43596
28
Please I have some goods to be shipped from London, UK to India. And the term says FOB London port. who will be issued the BOL because the payment instrument is an LC against documents. I need to understand something here, knowing that the buyer will be paying for the freight. And i need to tender the BOL to receive my payment. - anon43137
27
Please I have some goods to be shipped from Lagos, Nigeria to Israel. And the term says FOB Lagos port. who will be issued the BOL because the payment instrument is an LC against documents. I need to understand something here, knowing that the buyer will be paying for the freight. And i need to tender the BOL to receive my payment. I need a serious explanation. Thanks - anon42258
26
I have a problem where TNT have lost my original Bill Of Lading. My products from China have arrived in the UK, but i cannot get them as the shipping company needs the original bill of lading. What do i need to do to get my cargo released? - fmccarville
25
can a carrier in whose warehouse the goods are kept release the goods without the bill of lading on the directions by the company? - fmccarville
24
Problems during delivering of cargo" does the loi (letter of indemnity) replace the bill of lading (b/l) - fmccarville
22
can a carrier in whose warehouse the goods are kept release the goods without the bill of lading on the directions by the company? - anon37559
21
what is the difference between negotiable and non negotiable bill of lading? - anon37250
19
please tell me the difference between negotiable & non-negotiable document?what is difference between non-negotiable document and seaway bills? what is difference between bill of lading and sea way bill? - dolamoitra
18
Can an ocean bill of lading have 'NIL' originals issued at origin? Does this deem it to be an Express release? Can consignee obtain delivery against a non-negotiable copy, as NIL originals were issued? - anon27191
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please tell me what is different between non-negotiable and seaway bills. - DONx1234567
16
"Problems during delivering of cargo" does the loi (letter of indemnity) replace the bill of lading (b/l)"" - anon23082
15
what is "clean" and "clause" bill of lading? - anon22505
14
Can the shipping line release cargo to Notify Party without informing the consignee if the Bill of Lading indicates 2 different parties as consignee and notify party (eg. consignee is coy. ABC and Notify Party is coy. XYZ). The Original Bill of Lading has been surrendered at Port of Loading. - dumy
13
Need to know who is the owner of a House B/L & Ocean B/L ?? - anon21128
12
Actually a through bill of lading can be used for an ocean shipment, as long as the carrier arranges for transportation from the shippers site through to the consignees delivery site - anon20264
11
We paid a company s&h to ship goods to my husbands company, the shipment was received and the warehouseman signed for the invoice showing "prepaid" and zero balance. We just received a bill stating my husbands company owes for that pick up and delivery. We contacted the freight co to let them know the company we dealt with is responsible since we paid them s&h. The freight co states the BOL is a legal document and can not be changed. It's a fact the BOL was set up incorrectly having my husbands company the bill to party. What are our options in having this corrected? - anon18844
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Whether the Master of the vessel can deliver the goods without production of original bill of lading duly endorsed by the consignee.Whether after unloading of goods at destination can the shipper issue fresh Bill of lading of the same no and date, in the name of other consignee. - anon18491
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what is meant by the shipper already surrendered the bill of lading? - shuping
8
pls explain. where do i register my bill of lading for imports into India
- anon12642
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I would like to know about the terms & procedure to start of NVOCC like registration in India, port, DGFT, Shipping Line, customs or any govt. authorities..Also let me know the brief details for NVOCC. - anon12562
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the person with the ownership of bill of lading. what is meant by this. Is it consignee or consignor? - anon11033
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What is the difference between Bill of Lading & Waybill - anon10608
4
performing vsl is a chartered ship.
gencon b/l with consignee "to order" and not arrived. the charterer request to deliver cgo against LOI, to the receiver which is not the same with notify party. pls tell me whether owners can deliver cgo to the receiver which has no name in b/l. is the LOI sufficient for release cgo. with many thanks. - anon9266
3
How many days after loading a cargo container of a ship, the carrier issues B/L ? - anon4614
2
can you please tell me where the bill of lading is registered before issuing to the customer after, accepting his goods for carriage for transportation in the ship?
if i have started my company as an nvocc operator , in INDIA and i have my containers, and do my nvocc operation port to port through my appointed agent, now i must give him my company bill of lading FOR all his biz transactions.
If in India - I register my company with DG shipping and issue my company bill of lading, this will take care of my export.
What bill of lading i give to my appointed agent overseas? Who will send my containers back to India with their cargo?
pls explain. where do i register my bill of lading for imports into India - anon3943
1
Why there can be multiple BOL # assigned to on BOL? - anon2431
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Written by
N. Madison
Last Modified: 22 November 2009
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