The bill of lading serves as prima-facie evidence of the terms of the contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier.
Imagine how crucial this document is when it comes to handling claims?
You know the drill. Once the cargo is loaded on board the vessel (โshipped on boardโ), itโs time to issue the B/L, which serves ๐ฏ ๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐.
1. ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ด๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐: it contains a description of the cargo received, including the marks needed to identify the goods, as well as the quantity of packages, their volume and weight.
The B/L also ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ผ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ โ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ปโ, in other words, ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. Well, unless itโs โdirtyโ, and remarks to this effect have been made on the B/L itself.
2. ๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐: the terms of carriage agreed upon before the goods are sent to the ship are printed on the front and back of the B/L.
3. ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ถ๐๐น๐ฒ: the B/L authorised holder is entitled to receive delivery from the carrier. However, it doesnโt necessarily operate as a transfer of the property.
As the B/L is a legal record of the transaction, inaccuracies in completing it may have serious repercussions.
Additional expenses
Interruption of your shipping service
Loss of your insurance coverage
Criminal charges in case of fraud
Weโd like to help you prevent these issues by giving you a few tips to fill out your B/Ls accurately. Check out the carousel, where we point out 4 B/L fields that are decisive to determine who has the right to file a cargo claim.
P.S. Make sure to keep your B/Ls on file for 7 years. You may need to use them as supporting documents for settling shipping claims and legal disputes.