How to fill out a bill of lading
A bill of lading does three jobs at once. It is the carrier's receipt for the goods. It is evidence of the contract of carriage. And unlike almost every other shipping document, it is a document of title. Whoever holds an original negotiable bill of lading can claim the cargo. If you fill it in like a delivery note, you can lose control of a container.
The 21 fields on a bill of lading
Taken from the document itself, in the order it prints them.
- Shipper / Exporter
The party handing the goods to the carrier. This is usually the exporter, sometimes the forwarder. Whoever is named here is a party to the contract of carriage.
- Document No.
- Carrier Name
The shipping line actually carrying the goods, or the NVOCC issuing the bill. On a house bill this is the forwarder. The master bill underneath it will name someone else.
- Consignee
The most important box on the document. A named company makes it a straight bill, deliverable only to them. “To order” or “to order of [bank]” makes it negotiable. It can then be transferred by endorsement and released only against an original. If you have not been paid, do not name the buyer here.
- Reference
- Notify Party
The party the carrier tells when the vessel arrives. Being notified gives them no right to the goods. That is why the buyer often goes here while a bank goes in the consignee box.
- B/L / AWB No.
Issued by the carrier, not by you. Every later document for this shipment quotes it. It is the number that ties the file together.
- Method of Dispatch
- Place of Receipt
Where the carrier took custody of the goods. On a through movement this is inland, before the port. It is different from the port of loading, and the difference decides where carrier liability starts.
- Vessel / Voyage
- Voyage No.
- Port of Loading
The port the vessel sails from. It must match the vessel and voyage. A mismatch here makes the bill unacceptable to a bank under a letter of credit.
- Port of Discharge
- Place of Delivery
Where the carrier's responsibility ends. This can also be inland, past the discharge port. Under merchant haulage this is the port. Under carrier haulage it is the door.
- Final Destination
- Payment Terms
Freight prepaid or freight collect. Prepaid means the shipper has paid and the consignee can collect without paying freight. Collect means they cannot. It follows from the Incoterm. If it contradicts the Incoterm, there will be an argument at destination.
- Place of Issue
Where the bill was signed and released. Under a letter of credit this is checked against the credit's terms.
- Name
- Title
- Place
- Date
The line-item columns
One row per product. Columns can be hidden, renamed or added in the generator.
- Marks & Numbers
What is on the outside of the packages. Copy it from the packing list so the two documents agree.
- Container No.
One per container, with its seal. On a multi-container bill each container is listed, and each must match what was actually loaded.
- Pkgs
- Pkg Type
- Description
Use “said to contain” wording, because the carrier has not opened the boxes. Keep it general and consistent with the invoice. The carrier will refuse to sign a bill that describes goods it cannot check.
- Gross Wt
The weight the carrier signs for. On a sea shipment it must agree with the verified gross mass declared under SOLAS. Two different weights in one file means the shipment gets held.
- Vol
A working bill of lading, prefilled with a sample shipment. Every field above is editable here, and it downloads as a PDF.
| Marks and Numbers | Container / Seal No. | No. of Pkgs | Kind of Packages | Description of Goods | Gross Weight (KG) | Measurement (CBM) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RECEIVED by the Carrier the goods described above in apparent good order and condition unless otherwise stated, to be transported to such place as agreed, authorised or permitted herein and subject to all the terms and conditions appearing on the front and reverse of this Bill of Lading. In accepting this Bill of Lading the Merchant agrees to be bound by all such terms and conditions as if each had individually signed it.
Parties, ports, container and line items carry across every document.
Straight, order, and why it matters
A straight bill of lading consigns the goods to a named party and cannot be transferred. An order bill is made out “to order” and passes by endorsement. This is what lets a bank hold the cargo as security while a letter of credit is settled. The choice is made in the consignee box, and it is a commercial decision. Naming the buyer on an unpaid shipment hands them the goods.
Originals and the telex release
A negotiable bill is usually issued as a set of three originals. Handing in any one of them releases the cargo. That is why originals travel by courier and why losing one is a serious problem. A telex release, or a sea waybill from the start, avoids the paperwork. Only use one if you are happy for the goods to be collected without a document being presented.
Clean against claused
A clean bill records that the goods were received in apparent good order. If the carrier notes damage, shortage or poor packing on the bill, it becomes claused. A claused bill is normally rejected under a letter of credit. So packaging that survives handling matters for the documents as well as for the goods.
+What is the difference between a bill of lading and a sea waybill?
A sea waybill is a receipt and a contract of carriage, but not a document of title. The goods are released to the named consignee on proof of identity. No original has to be handed in. It is faster, but it is not suitable when you need the cargo as security for payment.
+Who issues the bill of lading?
The carrier or its agent, based on the shipping instructions you provide. You do not issue it yourself. What you prepare is the draft that tells the carrier exactly how it should read.
+Can a bill of lading be amended after issue?
Before the vessel sails, usually yes, for a fee. After that it becomes difficult and sometimes impossible. Amending a bill that has already been handed to a bank is a much bigger problem. Check the draft carefully.
+What is a house bill of lading?
One issued by a freight forwarder or NVOCC to its customer. Underneath it sits a master bill issued by the actual ocean carrier. It works the same way commercially, but your contract is with the forwarder.
Try it with a real shipment.
Everything above is already on the form. Fill it in and download the PDF — no account needed.
Open the bill of lading generator