Bill of Lading

A Bill of Lading is a legal document issued by a carrier or their agent to a shipper that serves three critical functions: it acts as a receipt for the goods shipped, a contract of carriage between the shipper and carrier, and a document of title that can be used to transfer ownership of the goods. It is one of the most important documents in international trade.

In Freight Forwarding

The B/L details the type, quantity, and destination of goods being carried. It must be presented by the consignee at the destination port to claim the cargo. Bills of Lading can be negotiable (allowing transfer of title) or non-negotiable, and they come in several forms including ocean B/Ls, through B/Ls, and multimodal B/Ls. Errors on a B/L can cause costly delays at customs or even cargo holds.

How CargoGen Handles It

CargoGen generates house and master bills of lading from the shipment record, on carrier-matched templates, so the consignee, ports and cargo lines are never retyped. Drafts are reviewed before issue, every revision is kept, and the status moves from draft to issued and on to telex released or surrendered.