GlossaryFreight
Bill of lading (BOL)
A document issued by a carrier that receipts the cargo, records the contract of carriage, and in ocean freight can be a document of title.
A bill of lading (BOL or B/L) is one of the most important documents in freight. It serves as a receipt from the carrier for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and, for negotiable ocean bills, a document of title that controls who may take delivery.
In ocean freight, a forwarder or consolidator may issue a house bill of lading to the shipper, while the ocean carrier issues a master bill of lading to the forwarder. In LTL and truckload, the BOL lists the shipper, consignee, freight class, piece count and weight.
Learn more in our Cross-border shipping articles.
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