One of the most important documents in the import and export of goods is the bill of lading. It is very important that the activists in this field have detailed information about this important business document in order to do their work without any problems.
In general, the bill of lading can be called Bill of lading or sea bill of lading, CMR or land waybill, AWB or air waybill as well as RWB or rail can be divided. In the following, we will introduce what is a waybill and introduce the types of waybill and its applications in the transportation of goods, stay with us. As an international transport company, Meran Group provides expert guidance for preparing the bill of lading.
What is a bill of lading?
The bill of lading is a legal document issued by the transport company to the sender. This document specifies information about the cargo, such as its type, quantity, and destination.
A bill of lading is an important and valid legal document that is issued and sent to the sender by freight forwarding companies. This document contains the main characteristics of the goods such as the specified amount of cargo, the type of cargo and the final destination of the goods. Based on this information, the sender delivers the cargo to the carrier so that it finally reaches the buyer.
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Suppose you want to send a shipment of refrigerators from Tehran to Mashhad. For this, you need to sign a contract with a shipping company and request a bill of lading from them. The bill of lading specifies information about your shipment, such as type (refrigerator), quantity (number of refrigerators), and destination (Mashhad). This document must be signed by the representative of the transport company, you (the sender) and the recipient of the shipment.
Components of the bill of lading
A bill of lading is a document that gives you important information about the transportation of goods. This information includes the following:
Load profile:
- Serial number: a unique number assigned to each waybill by the transport organization.
- Date and time of issuance: The date and time when the bill of lading was issued.
- Sender: name, national code, postal code and address of the sender’s place of loading.
- Consignee: name, national code, postal code and address of the consignee.
- Driver: name, national code, smart number, health card validity date and driver’s smart card validity date.
- Fleet: type, brand, model, license plate number, loader type, insurance validity date and technical inspection of the fleet.
- Cargo: name, weight, type of packaging and type of logistics goods.
- Cargo value: the value of the goods to be insured.
History of bill of lading
The use of bill of lading goes back to the time of ancient Rome and cargo transportation by ships. At that time, a document was issued to record the full details of the cargo. with the passage of time and variety of shipping methods, different bills of lading were created for each shipping method. With the development of trade and commerce, old obsolete bills of lading and a new type of it that is used today came into existence.
The importance of the bill of lading
The bill of lading is a document issued by the transport company and has a contractual clause between the sender and the transport company. This document indicates the delivery of the goods to the freight company and actually has the order of receipt of the goods. In the following, we will explain some of the importance of the bill of lading:
- The bill of lading is a guarantee for the health of the shipped goods. In case of damage, the sender can claim damages from the insurance by referring to the bill of lading.
- A bill of lading is a negotiable document and can be used as collateral.
- The bill of lading helps transparency and order in the transportation process and prevents possible disputes.
Types of bills of lading
- Air waybill: for transporting goods by plane
- Sea Bill of Lading: for shipping goods by ship
- Land waybill: It is divided into 2 categories
land bill: Railway bill of lading: for transporting goods by train and road bill of lading: for transporting goods by truck
Other types of bills of lading:
- direct bill of lading
- Fiat bill of lading
- Charter bill of lading
- International shipping bill of lading
- Fiat composite bill of lading
- Postal receipt bill of lading
- Third party bill of lading
- Stale bill of lading
- Onboard bill of lading
- Ondeck bill of lading
Air waybill
If the goods are transported by air, you will need to issue an air waybill. It should be noted that this document is non-negotiable. The air waybill has 12 different versions, three of which are very important in the business sector. Other versions are also used in domestic departments and travel agencies. Three main copies are issued as follows.
- The first original copy to be issued to FOR CARRIER
- The second original copy to be presented to the recipient of the goods FOR CONSIGNEE
- The third original copy to be delivered to the sender of goods FOR SHIPPER
It is necessary that the information included in this type of bill of lading includes such things as the flight number and date, the name and address of the sender and receiver of the goods, the three-letter code of the airport of origin and destination, the weight, volume and number of cargo packages and the cost of transportation.
Specifications of the air waybill:
- Non-negotiable: It is not negotiable and only serves as a shipping receipt.
- Number of copies: The air waybill is issued in 3 copies, one copy for the shipping company, one copy for the consignee and one copy for the sender.
- Stamp and information: The air waybill must be stamped with the airline’s stamp and information about the date and flight number.
usage:
Air waybill is used for fast and safe transportation of goods to different parts of the world. This type of bill of lading is suitable for perishable, valuable goods or goods that need to be transported quickly.
sea bill of lading
Ocean/Marine Bill of Lading is a type of shipping document that is issued by the shipping company or its authorized representative to receive and transport cargo. Sea waybill is the most important waybill in international transportation. This bill of lading contains complete specifications of the cargo, which is signed by the ship’s captain. According to this document, it is committed to deliver the relevant cargo to its recipient by the ship.
Types of sea waybills
Direct bill of lading: to carry cargo from origin to destination with only one ship
Line Bill of Lading: for the carriage of cargo on regular sea lines
Specifications of sea waybill:
As mentioned, the sea waybill is recognized as a legal and valid document. In this way, the buyer can receive his cargo at the destination only when he has presented the original and signed copy to the shipping company. Therefore, it is very important to prepare this document legally and with utmost care. The list of essential and important information in the sea waybill is as follows.
- The name and address of the sender and receiver of the goods
- The name of the port of origin and destination of the goods
- Voyage number and name of the cargo carrier
- Date of bill of lading
- The detailed description of the product includes items such as volume, weight and number of loaded packages
- Purchase order or special reference number
- Full specifications of the container and signs and numbers related to container loads
- The freight cost along with the payment of the freight at the place of loading or the destination of the cargo
- Date of issuance and signing of bill of lading
usage:
Sea waybill is used to transport different goods to different parts of the world. This type of bill of lading is suitable for goods that need to be transported with high volume and low cost.
Railway bill of lading
Railway waybills are issued by railway companies at loading stations. According to this document, the railway company agrees to accept the safety of the cargo transfer and delivery, according to the goods listed in the guide and its arrival at the relevant destination. A railway bill of lading is a non-negotiable and transferable document.
The information contained in the railway bill should include the following items.
- Railway waybills are issued by railway companies at loading stations. According to this document, the railway company agrees to accept the safety of the cargo transfer and delivery, according to the goods listed in the guide and its arrival at the relevant destination. A railway bill of lading is a non-negotiable and transferable document.
- The name and address of the sender and recipient of the cargo
- The name of the station of origin and destination of the load
- Weight, quantity and specifications of product packaging
- Wagon number
- Determining the type and specifications of the goods
- Load financial information
Specifications of the railway bill of lading:
- Non-negotiable: A railway bill, like an air waybill, is non-negotiable and serves only as a receipt for the carriage of goods.
- Information: The railway bill of lading contains the usual information in the bill of lading, such as the type of goods, weight, number, value, origin and destination, as well as the wagon number and the necessary information at the customs.
usage:
Railway bill is used to transport different goods to different parts of the country. This type of bill of lading is suitable for goods that need to be transported with high volume and low cost.
Truck Bill of Lading (CMR)
CMR waybill is a type of document that is used in the international transportation route and for the purpose of transporting goods by truck. The application of CMR is in road transport and it is issued with the purpose of determining the limits of the responsibilities of cargo operators.
In 1956, the CMR guide was approved by five European countries in the city of Geneva, with provisions including 51 articles, in the field of international road transport, under the title of the CMR convention.
The CMR guide is one of the most important international conventions in the field of international road transport, which currently has sixty countries as members. After the sea waybill, the CMR waybill is one of the most important documents of international transport.
It should be noted that this document is non-transferable and is considered as a goods receipt, and it needs to be approved by the country’s transportation terminals.
usage:
A truck consignment note is used to transport goods by land. This type of bill is suitable for transporting various goods, including food, building materials and household appliances.
carnet TIR
In the international transportation of goods, trucks may pass through several countries. In order to facilitate the passage of trucks through customs on the way, the carnet TIR book is used. for example, the transport company “Meran Group” plans to transport goods from Dubai to Turkmenistan. For this, the company must:
- Complete the bill with detailed information about the goods, the sender, the receiver and the driver.
- Obtain a transit permit for traffic loads.
- issue the bill under the insurance of the liability of the carrier.
- The sender must inform the shipping company of the exact details of the cargo and the place of loading and unloading.
- The driver must arrive at the loading place on time and after loading, transport the goods quickly to Frankfurt.
- At the customs on the way, by presenting the tire pass book, the transit permit for the truck is issued.
- The recipient must arrive at the unloading place on time and pay the fare listed in the bill of lading to the driver.
The difference between CMR and TIR carnet:
The main difference between CMR and TIR Carnet can be summed up in the fact that the CMR Convention oversees the relationship between the sender, the carrier and the recipient, while the TIR Carnet oversees the relationship between the carrier, customs and the guarantor institution.
It is better to know that the difference between CMR and bill is that CMR, unlike the bill of lading, is not negotiable and is not considered as a document of ownership of the goods.
bill of lading rules
In issuing these documents based on the rules and regulations, in addition to the issuers, the senders, receivers and drivers must also follow the regulations. Some of these provisions are as follows:
For transportation and freight companies:
- Accurately completing the bill of lading, especially including the freight charges according to the contract
- Issuance of bill from the legal origin of the company
- Obtaining a transit permit for traffic loads
- Issuance of bill of lading covered by insurance
For senders;
- Announcing the exact specifications of the cargo and loading location
- Announcing the exact details of the recipient and the place of discharge
- Declaring product specifications (quantity, weight, dimensions, type of packaging, etc.)
- Timely loading of the fleet
For drivers:
- Maintenance of bill for fare collection
- Be on time at the time of loading
- Fast delivery of goods to the destination
- Preservation and maintenance of cargo
- Be on time at the time of evacuation
- Road transport regulations and conventions:
conclusion:
Since all important details are included in it; Therefore, if necessary, it can be used as a legal document in lawsuits.
Another important point is that bills of lading must be sent together with the products regardless of the type of transportation. It is also necessary for this important document to be signed by the authorized representatives of the parties, i.e. carriers, senders and receivers of the goods.
Here, we presented important information about the bill of lading and its importance in the process of transporting goods. Certainly, awareness in this field and familiarity with the relevant regulations and laws can speed up and facilitate the business activities of activists in this field. As a result, it is hoped that with this awareness and knowledge, you will see good progress in this field. If you need advice, contact our experts.
