Illustrative situation
A buyer receives a scanned bill of lading from a supplier just before paying the balance. The carton count is lower than the packing list, and the consignee name has a spelling mistake, but the supplier says it is only a draft.
Main answer
Check a bill of lading for the shipper and consignee names, the notify party, ports of loading and discharge, vessel and date, number of cartons and gross weight, a description of the goods that matches the invoice, and the freight terms, before you pay the balance or let the supplier release original documents. Correct errors while they are still a draft, because amendments after sailing are slow and costly.
What the document does
A bill of lading is issued by the carrier or its agent. It acts as a receipt for goods loaded, as evidence of the contract of carriage and, in an original negotiable form, as a document of title. Different forms exist, such as original sets, telex or electronic releases and sea waybills, so ask which one applies.
The details to check
Compare names and addresses with your company records, the cartons and weights with the packing list, and the description with the invoice. Check the freight term, such as prepaid or collect, against your agreed trade term. Check dates, because a late on-board date can matter for payment conditions.
Ask for a draft
Ask the forwarder or supplier for a draft bill of lading before sailing and approve it in writing. Confirm how the original or the release will be handled, and who is the consignee, because that name decides who can collect goods.
Common problems
Typical problems include a wrong consignee, a carton count that differs from the packing list, missing notify party details and a goods description that is too vague for customs. If you find one, ask for an amended draft at once and confirm the correction in writing.
Related reading
See the products page for the products behind this topic, and read air freight vs sea freight next. Both are general guides, not a quotation.
Link to payment
If payment depends on documents, such as a letter of credit, even a small mismatch can cause trouble. Align documents before presenting them.
Fact, recommendation, uncertainty
- Established fact
- A bill of lading serves as a receipt for the goods, as evidence of the contract of carriage and, in negotiable original form, as a document of title.
- Recommendation
- Request a draft before sailing, check it line by line against the invoice and packing list and approve changes in writing.
- Uncertainty
- Document forms and rules vary by carrier and country, so confirm the release method with your forwarder.
Sources and further reading
No single official source defines this, so this answer is a recommendation based on how production and buying are commonly organised. Confirm every figure and term in your own quotation.
More perspectives from the team
Three further views on the same question, each by function. They add conditions and limits to the main answer; they are editorial notes, not customer reviews.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Sourcing
Ask the supplier to send the draft to you at the same time as to the forwarder. Limit: a draft sent after the vessel sails leaves little time to fix mistakes.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Product selection
Keep product names, style numbers and descriptions in the same words on all documents. Limit: marketing names that differ from the invoice can confuse the checks. Match descriptions across documents.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Quality & care
Compare the carton count and weight with what the inspector reported and with the packing list. Limit: small weight differences are normal, but carton count should match exactly. Keep a copy of the final bill with your inspection report and photographs of loaded cartons where available.
Related products
- Products
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- Capabilities
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- how-does-it-work
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- FAQs
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