A bill of lading is an official document that is used in foreign trade when moving goods by sea. It is issued by the carrier to the consignor of the cargo and certifies the ownership of the cargo.
Instructions
Step 1
The bill of lading must contain information about the quantity and condition of the shipment. Since the bill of lading confirms the conclusion of an agreement between the carrier and the consignor of the cargo, the document indicates the name of the vessel and the place where the cargo was received.
Step 2
Various types of bills of lading are used in international trade. Features of individual varieties of this document are determined by the method of transfer of ownership of the goods. For example, the name and address of a specific consignee of the goods are indicated in a registered bill of lading. The order bill of lading has a transfer inscription, with the help of which the rights to the goods can be transferred to a third party. The bearer bill of lading does not contain endorsement and can be transferred to any person by simple delivery. The last two types of bills of lading are negotiable, that is, the ownership of the goods can be transferred several times from one person to another. Negotiable bills of lading are often used in international trade because goods are often resold and change ownership en route. Negotiable bills of lading can be used as additional security when obtaining a loan.
Step 3
Depending on the peculiarities of transportation, bills of lading can be charter and regular. Voyage bills of lading are used for the carriage of goods on regular ships that operate according to a specific schedule. Charter bills of lading are used for non-scheduled transportation.
Step 4
If the goods are transported only by sea transport, from port to port, then a direct bill of lading is drawn up. If the carriage is carried out by land and sea transport, then a through bill of lading is drawn up.
Step 5
If the carrier discovers damage to the packaging or other defects during inspection of the cargo, then an unclean bill of lading or a bill of lading with reservations is issued. If no defects are noticed, then a clean bill of lading is drawn up.
Step 6
Work with a bill of lading is carried out in a specific order. First, the consignor of the cargo draws up a loading order, which contains detailed information about the product and its recipient. Next, the goods are loaded and a navigator's receipt is issued. After the ship has left the port, the navigator's receipt is changed to a bill of lading. The last stage is the receipt of the cargo at the port of destination after the recipient presents a copy of the bill of lading.
