Freight glossary
Bill of lading (BOL)
The core shipping document — a receipt for the cargo, a contract of carriage, and a document of title all in one.
A bill of lading is issued by the carrier (or forwarder) when cargo is received. It does three jobs at once: it acknowledges the goods were received, it sets the terms of carriage, and — for an original 'negotiable' BOL — it represents ownership of the cargo, so whoever holds it can claim the goods.
Ocean shipments use a marine bill of lading; air uses an air waybill (AWB), which is similar but not a document of title. Getting the BOL details right (consignee, description, terms) is essential to clearing customs and releasing cargo.
Why it matters
An error on the BOL can hold your cargo at the port. The consignee named on it is who can legally collect the goods.
Example
Your supplier ships FOB and sends you the original BOL; you present it at destination to release the container.
Related terms
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