Bill of lading is perhaps the most important document related to the shipping industry as someone can lose money if attention is not given while handling these bills of lading.
To define “bill of lading”
“It is a document issued to the shipper by the Master of the vessel on behalf of the carrier for the goods shipped on board that vessel”
A Bill of lading serves mainly three functions
- It acts as the receipt of goods
- It is document of title
- It is an evidence of contract of agreement or contract of carriage
To proceed further it is expected that one is well versed with the terms like Shipper, consignee, Receiver, carrier.
Very brief introduction about these three functions
1) It acts as the receipt of goods
Receipt of goods is the straightforward thing.
Whether we leave our car for servicing, pay our utility bills or buy an electronic item, we want a receipt for all these.
Similarly, when we receive the goods on board, we are supposed to issue a receipt.
Bill of lading acts as the receipt of the cargo received on board.
2) It is evidence of contact of carriage
So it acts only as evidence that there is a contract of carriage between shipper and carrier but it is not the contract of the carriage itself.
Q: Can you think of the last time you saw actual contact of carriage?
3) It is document of title
The title means the right to ownership.
In the case of a bill of lading, it implies that whoever has the bill of lading can claim the cargo by presenting the bill of lading to the master of the vessel.
While the ship is in the sea passage, the present owner of the cargo can negotiate with the potential buyer of the cargo and if agreed he can transfer the ownership of the cargo by transferring the bill of lading to him.
This way Bill of lading can change several hands and the final holder of the bill of lading will also be the owner of the cargo.
That makes the bill of lading a negotiable document.
Q: Are all bills of lading negotiable and serves as a document of title? Well not exactly. There are Different types of bill of ladings and some are negotiable too.
Share this:
About Capt Rajeev Jassal
Capt. Rajeev Jassal has sailed for over 24 years mainly on crude oil, product and chemical tankers. He holds MBA in shipping & Logistics degree from London. He has done extensive research on quantitatively measuring Safety culture onboard and safety climate ashore which he believes is the most important element for safer shipping.
Search Blog
9 Comments
Hi call me this number 07853640453
great explanation...
My ex-husband and I had always managed to stay friendly after our divorce in February 2017. But I always wanted to get back together with him, All it took was a visit to this spell casters website last December, because my dream was to start a new year with my husband, and live happily with him.. This spell caster requested a specific love spell for me and my husband, and I accepted it. And this powerful spell caster began to work his magic. And 48 hours after this spell caster worked for me, my husband called me back for us to be together again, and he was remorseful for all his wrong deeds. My spell is working because guess what: My “husband” is back and we are making preparations on how to go to court and withdraw our divorce papers ASAP. This is nothing short of a miracle. Thank you Dr Emu for your powerful spells. Words are not enough. Email emutemple@gmail.com Phone/WhatsApp +2347012841542.
How can a Charterer be protected from an unreasonable shipowner who baselessly refuses to deliver the cargo at destination? Is that insurance "Institute Theft, Pilferage and Non-Delivery Clause" help?
I want to genuinely thank Dr Ayoola for making my dream come through. I was on the internet when I saw people posting and talking about Dr Ayoola. On How he has help them in winning lottery. My name is Gerald Muswagon this is my story on how I win $10 million After reading the article about Dr Ayoola I contacted him I told him to help me win lottery he respond to me by saying he will help me after working with him he assured me that I will win. Which I believe. After working with Dr Ayoola he gave me a number and ask me to go and play it which I did today I’m here shearing a testimony about this same man Dr Ayoola help me to win $10 million dollars all thanks to you Dr I will keep taking about your good because you are a man of your word I hope people that really need this will come across it for you to help them as well. If you want to win big in lottery contact Dr Ayoola today and be rest assured of winning contact him via email drayoolasolutionhome@gmail. com or https://www.facebook.com/Dr-Ayoola-105640401516053/ text or call +14809032128
i want to share to the whole world how Dr Kachi the Great of all the Spell Caster, that helped me reunite my marriage back, my Ex Husband broke up with me 3months ago, I have been trying to get him back ever since then, i was worried and so confused because i love him so much. I was really going too much depressed, he left me with my kids and just ignored me constantly. I have begged him for forgiveness through text messages for him to come back home and the kids crying and miss their dad but he wont reply, I wanted him back desperately. we were in a very good couple and yet he just ignores me and get on with his life just like that, so i was looking for help after reading a post of Dr Kachi on the internet when i saw a lady name SHARRON testified that Dr Kachi cast a Pure love spell to stop divorce. and i also met with other, it was about how he brought back her Ex lover in less than 24 hours at the end of her testimony she dropped his email, I contacted Dr Kachi via email and explained my problem to Dr Kachi and he told me what went wrong with my husband and how it happen, that he will restored my marriage back, and to my greatest surprise my Ex husband came back to me, and he apologized for his mistake, and for the pain he caused me and my children. Then from that day our marriage is now stronger than how it was before, Dr Kachi you're a real spell caster, you can also get your Ex back and live with him happily: Contact Email drkachispellcast@gmail.com his Text Number and Call: +1 (209) 893-8075 his Website: https://drkachispellcaster.wixsite.com/my-site
My name is Matt. I'm here to say a very big thanks to Priest Salami and his great Oracle for saving my marriage. No one would have believe that I and my wife will ever come back together again as lovers. But this great spell caster reunited us in just 48hours. Priest Salami is truly a real and honest online spell caster. Contact him now on: purenaturalhealer@gmail.com. Whatsapp number: +2348143757229
Leave Comment
More things to do on myseatime
MySeaTime Blogs
Learn the difficult concepts of sailing described in a easy and story-telling way. These detailed and well researched articles provides value reading for all ranks.
Seafarers Question Answers
Ask or answer a question on this forum. Knowledge dies if it remains in our head. Share your knowledge by writing answers to the question
MySeaTime Podcast
This podcast on the maritime matters will provide value to the listeners. Short, crisp and full of value. Stay tuned for this section.
Dear Cpt. Rajeev, thanks for your posts, quite informative. However I would like to point out that ''Evidence of Contact of Carriage'' is simply Charter Party, and usually nothing else. Also so many people get confused whenever they hear conventional phrase such as: “It is a document issued to the shipper by the Master of the vessel on behalf of the carrier for the goods shipped onboard that vessel”, in fact it is absolutely correct, however the following clarification for such staff should also take place i.e. : 1) B/L almost always is to be prepared by Shipper/s of their Agent at loadport(Local Agent) 2) B/L is considered to be issued by the carrier i.e. Master owing to exactly that person finalize that document(by his signing) which then becomes ''issued'', otherwise by agent on Master's behalf(e.g. as per LoA). Thanks
Had a confusion. Many thanks for clarifying.