What is ‘Bill of Lading’?

Bill of Lading is the most important document in shipping as it is highly required and is both a receipt and a contract. A complete Bill of Lading is a documented proof that the freight received by the carrier is as per its description. Additionally it also legally shows that the carrier will deliver the freight in good condition to the consignee.

The information on the Bill is highly critical and it acts as a direction for guiding the actions of all the personnel all along the route of the shipment. This includes the destination, the piece count, the billing information and the way of handling on the dock and on trailers. It could either be pre-paid or collected later.

The consignee is required to verify the shipment if the latter is collect on delivery basis or not.