Ocean Freight Bill of Lading

An Ocean Freight Bill of Lading (BOL, B/L) is the key document in international cargo transportation by sea. This shipping document is used exclusively in ocean freight for shipping goods by sea, as in the USA and all other countries around the globe. Ocean freight bill of ladings is prepared and released by ocean freight carriers. An issued bill of lading means that specified goods have been received on board as cargo for conveyance to a named place for delivery to the consignee. Besides other purposes, an ocean freight bill of lading serves the following purposes:

• It is evidence of a contract of carriage between ocean freight carrier and shipper;
• It is a receipt for goods shipping from the USA;
• It is a document of title on shipped goods.

There are different types of international ocean freight bills of ladings in international cargo transportation by sea. Particularly for shipping cargo from the USA overseas. However, there are the two most commonly used types of NON-NEGOTIABLE international ocean freight bills of ladings:

• Express release ocean freight bill of lading = Telex release = Surrender and;
• Release endorsed upon a set of original ocean freight bills of ladings.

NON-NEGOTIABLE international ocean freight bill of lading: means that the document itself does NOT give the title to the goods. The consignee (recipient) named in the ocean freight bill of lading must identify himself to claim the goods. Vs. NEGOTIABLE international ocean freight bill of lading issued "to the order of" is the title of the goods. I.e., a NEGOTIABLE international ocean freight bill of lading can be bought, sold, or traded while goods are in transit.

International EXPRESS RELEASE ocean freight bill of lading means: that a consignee (a recipient of shipping goods) does not have to provide a set of originals of ocean freight bill of ladings to claim goods at the destination. Shipment on express release should be released at the destination upon surrender of a copy of the international ocean freight bill of lading. Express release ocean freight bill of lading should state: "ZERO (0) – NO ORIGINALS REQUIRED FOR RELEASE".

The statement "SET OF ORIGINAL REQUIRED" in an international ocean freight bill of lading means that goods CAN NOT be released to the consignee unless the consignee has surrendered a set of originals ocean freight bill of lading.

Please note that if you ship goods from the U.S. with AMID Logistics, by initiating your international shipment with the online freight calculator, WE SEND COPIES OF INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS RELEASE OCEAN FREIGHT BILL OF LADING VIA E-MAIL in PDF FILES.  

Unless you requested an ocean freight bill of lading upon a set of originals in advance, upon your payment toward our final freight invoice, within a few days after the departure of your cargo from the USA, we would e-mail you a copy of the carrier's EXPRESS RELEASE freight bill of lading in a file attached. Print the ocean freight bill of lading. Please keep it on your records. Use it at the time of your cargo recovery at the destination.

Please note that several countries worldwide, particularly Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and certain countries in Africa, DO NOT accept express release ocean freight bills of ladings. Ocean freight carriers should clarify that at the time of issuing the bill of lading. However, most of the time, you don't need the originals. Your carrier will notify their destination agent to generate the originals at the destination. Otherwise, we can mail you the set of originals by USPS First Class Mail within the USA and Canada for free. Expedited or international mail must be prepaid.

If a consigner or consignee requires a set of originals for shipments to countries that DO accept express release ocean freight bill of lading, then a $50 fee will be added on top of the mail's cost.

LETTER OF INDEMNITY

If upon arrival your goods to the destination, a set of originals BOL is required, but it needs to be amended or lost, an international ocean freight carrier may request a LETTER OF INDEMNITY. Here is the link with a sample of LETTER OF INDEMNITY in international cargo transportation by sea.