Bill of lading (B/L)

The bill of lading (B/L or BL) is the document the ocean carrier or its agent issues when it receives the cargo. It is the core of a container’s paperwork: without it, the importer cannot collect the goods at destination.

What the bill of lading does

A B/L does three jobs at once:

Receipt: confirms the carrier received the cargo in the stated condition and quantity.
Contract of carriage: sets the terms of transport between the port of loading (POL) and port of discharge (POD).
Document of title: in its negotiable form (“to order”), whoever holds the original can claim the goods.

Common types of B/L

The choice depends on how the sale is paid and how much the exporter and importer trust each other.

Original B/L: paper originals that must reach the importer, usually through a bank or courier.
Telex release / surrendered B/L: originals are surrendered at origin and the carrier releases the cargo at destination without paper.
Sea waybill: not a document of title; the cargo is delivered to the named consignee. Fast and common between related companies.

Details that must match

Most holds at destination come from differences between the B/L and the other documents. Check that these match the commercial invoice, packing list and phytosanitary certificate:

Shipper, consignee and notify party.
Vessel, voyage, port of loading and port of discharge.
Container number and seal number.
Description of goods, number of packages and weights.

How ContainerDocs helps

ContainerDocs keeps each shipment’s container, seal, vessel and ports next to its B/L and every other document the customer requires. When the shipment is complete, the customer receives one email with the container table and all files attached, in their language.

General information. Requirements change by country, product and trade agreement; confirm them with your customer or customs broker.