The Bill of Lading (B/L) is the single most important document in ocean freight. It does three jobs at once: it is a receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and often a document of title (whoever holds it can claim the cargo).
Types of Bill of Lading
- Straight B/L — consigned to a named party; not negotiable.
- Order B/L — "to order" of a party; negotiable and transferable by endorsement (used with letters of credit).
- Sea Waybill — a non-negotiable receipt; faster release, no original needed.
The key fields to check
- Shipper / Consignee / Notify party — who sends, who receives, who is alerted on arrival.
- Vessel & voyage number — the exact sailing.
- Port of loading / discharge / place of delivery — the routing.
- Container & seal numbers — must match the physical box.
- Description of goods, marks, packages, gross weight & measurement — must match the commercial invoice and packing list.
- Freight terms — "freight prepaid" or "freight collect".
- Number of originals — how many original B/Ls were issued.
Why accuracy matters
Customs, banks and the carrier all cross-check the B/L against your invoice and packing list. A mismatch in weight, description or consignee can hold your cargo or break a letter of credit. Always review the draft B/L before it is finalised — corrections after issue are slow and sometimes costly.
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