Bill of Lading
Category: Documents
Definition (plain English)
An ocean freight transport document issued by a carrier or forwarder that records cargo receipt, routing, parties, and release instructions.
Why it matters commercially
BL details affect document control, payment release, consignee authority, customs filing, and whether cargo can be released without costly storage delays.
Example
A shipment sat at destination because the consignee name on the bill of lading did not match the importer record and the original BL release path was unclear.
Common mistake
Approving the BL draft without checking shipper, consignee, notify party, description, container count, freight terms, and telex/original release instructions.
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