The most important document in your shipment, explained field by field.
The bill of lading is the single most important document in an ocean shipment. It is a receipt, a contract, and a title to the goods all at once.
MBL vs HBL
The Master Bill of Lading is issued by the shipping line. The House Bill of Lading is issued by your forwarder to you. The HBL is the one you usually work with day to day.
The fields that matter
- Shipper and consignee: who sends and who receives.
- Notify party: who the carrier alerts on arrival.
- Description, marks, and numbers: what is inside and how it is identified.
- Freight terms: prepaid or collect.
Original vs telex release
An original bill must be physically presented to release cargo. A telex or express release removes that step when payment is already settled. KWT checks every bill before it is issued, so errors are caught early.
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