In international trade, we often encounter buyers who require the exporter to provide a shipping bill of lading or a loaned bill of lading. What is the difference between the two?
Ocean Bill of Lading (MARINE/OCEAN B/L)
It has three functions:
One is a goods receipt issued by the carrier or its agent to the shipper after receiving the goods.
The second is the evidence of the establishment of the transportation contract between the two parties.
The third is the document of title for the consignee to pick up the goods at the place of arrival.
Corresponding to the sea bill of lading are the charter party B/L and the multimodal transport document
The freight forwarder bill of lading (HOUSE B/L) corresponds to the owner's bill of lading (MASTER B/L)
The difference between these two types of bills of lading is not significant, but the qualifications of the issuer are different. H/B/L may incur additional exchange fees at the port of destination (sometimes there is more than one exchange fee)
"If there are no special requirements in the L/C, both documents have the same effect, are valuable documents, and can be endorsed and transferred.".
Differences between the two bills of lading:
1. A bill of lading is a bill of lading issued by a shipping company. As long as there is a marine bill of lading, anyone can directly pick up the goods from the shipping company at the port of destination. A credit agent bill of lading is a bill of lading issued by a freight forwarder based on a marine bill of lading, which requires a designated agent or branch at the port of destination to exchange for a marine bill of lading.
2. If you want to prepay the freight and pick up the goods quickly, issue a shipping locust bill, and you can save more than ten dollars in exchange fees. "If you want to control the ownership of the goods, freight collection, etc., you need to issue a loan agent bill of lading. The freight agent can help you do these things, but of course, they are not free.".
3. If your goods are not whole containers, but scattered goods, you must only issue a loaned bill of lading, because the shipping company will not help you LCL and will not help you distribute the goods at the port of destination.
4. If you are doing L/C, but you cannot produce and board the ship within the specified delivery date, you can choose to issue a loan agent bill of lading and request the freight forwarder to countersign the bill of lading for you. Of course, this is also an informal practice, so you are generally required to issue a letter of guarantee.
5. Ocean bill of lading is the most basic document of title, and there are many clauses in it that you cannot control.
6. The general freight forwarder number does not enter the customs manifest management system, which is different from the bill of lading number on the import declaration form;
7. The freight forwarder's bill of lading contains the name and contact method of the exchange company, and the contact company is not a port shipping agency such as an overseas agent or an overseas shipping company.
8. The freight forwarder's bill of lading generally displays the words "as agent of carrier" on the page, while the ocean bill of lading displays "as carrier"
Note: If the payment for goods is not in advance, it is necessary to be particularly careful whether it is a marine bill of lading or a freight bill of lading. Generally, a marine bill of lading is required, otherwise the goods may be in danger of being taken away by the freight forwarder
