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Ocean Freight Bill of Lading for shipping goods from the United States

An Ocean Freight Bill of Lading (BOL, B/L) is a key document in your international shipping from the USA.

This shipping document is used only for ocean freight, which means moving goods by sea, both in the USA and around the world. Ocean freight bills of lading are prepared and issued by ocean freight carriers. Receiving a bill of lading indicates that your goods have been loaded onto the ship and are now shipping internationally.

Besides its main use, this document has several other vital functions in international shipping from the USA:

• It serves as evidence of a contract of carriage between an ocean freight carrier and the shipper.
• It is a receipt for goods shipping from the USA.
• This document serves as the title for importing goods.

There are various types of international ocean freight bills of lading used in cargo transportation by sea, especially for shipping goods from the USA to overseas destinations. Among these, two of the most commonly used types of non-negotiable international ocean freight bills of lading are:

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

A **NON-NEGOTIABLE** international ocean freight bill of lading does NOT give you ownership of the goods. The consignee (the person receiving the goods) must prove their identity to claim them.

A **NEGOTIABLE** international ocean freight bill of lading, issued "to the order of," means you have ownership of the goods. You can buy, sell, or trade this bill while the goods are in transit.

With an **INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS RELEASE** ocean freight bill of lading, the consignee can claim the goods without providing the original bills of lading. Instead, they only need to submit a copy. The express release bill must state: "ZERO (0) – NO ORIGINALS REQUIRED FOR RELEASE."

If the document says **"SET OF ORIGINALS REQUIRED,"** it means you cannot get the goods unless you provide a complete set of original bills.

When you ship goods from the U.S. through AMID Logistics using our online freight calculator, we will email you copies of the INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS RELEASE OCEAN FREIGHT BILL OF LADING in PDF format. Unless you ask for original bills in advance, we will send you a copy of the express release freight bill within a few days after your cargo leaves the USA, following your final invoice payment. Print the bill and keep it for your records, as you will need it when your cargo arrives.

Some countries, like Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and a few in Africa, don’t accept express release ocean freight bills. Carriers should clarify this. Usually, you won’t need the originals, as your carrier will handle them. If you do need them, we can mail them for free via USPS First Class Mail in the USA and Canada. Just keep in mind that expedited or international shipping will need to be prepaid.

If you require a set of original bills for countries that accept express release ocean freight bills, a $50 fee will be added to the mailing cost.

LETTER OF INDEMNITY

If your goods arrive at the destination and a set of original Bill of Lading (BOL) is required, but the BOL needs to be amended or lost, an international ocean freight carrier may request a LETTER OF INDEMNITY.