House Bill of Lading (HBL)
A bill issued by a forwarder or NVOCC to its customer, sitting under the ocean carrier's master bill.
On a consolidated shipment the ocean carrier issues a master bill to the consolidator, naming them as shipper. The consolidator then issues a house bill to each actual exporter. Two contracts of carriage, stacked.
Your counterparty is whoever issued your bill. Holding a house bill means your recourse is against the NVOCC, on the NVOCC's terms, which may be considerably narrower than the ocean line's.
Banks frequently refuse a house bill under a letter of credit unless the credit expressly permits a forwarder's document. LCL shipments produce one by definition, so check the credit before booking.
Also called: HBL, forwarder's bill of lading.
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