Reading a Bill of Lading: The Fields That Matter at Receiving

A bill of lading is the carrier's version of the shipment: what it received, from whom, in what apparent condition and for delivery to whom. At receiving it is the one document in your hands written by someone other than your supplier, which is why it deserves a careful read. This article is a practical reading guide, not a legal one. What a bill of lading means as a document of title, or in a dispute, depends on the law and the contract, and those questions belong with your forwarder or a lawyer. The question here is narrower. Which fields do you read first when the container is at the gate, which can mislead, and what does a mismatch actually mean?

The fields to read first

1. Shipper, consignee and notify party. The names should agree with the invoice and with your company as it appears in the contract. A wrong name can raise questions when the cargo is released; take it to your broker.
2. Container number and seal number. These are the first things you check at the gate against the doors and the lock. If there is more than one seal, each should be listed.
3. Number and kind of packages. Pallets, cartons or "pieces" are different units. Make sure you know which one the document counts.
4. Gross weight and measurement. The total weight and, where given, the volume.
5. Description of the goods. Often short and general.
6. Places of loading and discharge, and the transport details. The vessel and voyage, or the wagon or truck.
7. Date and place of issue, and the date the goods were taken on board or into the carrier's charge.
8. Remarks and clauses on the face of the document. Any note about the condition of the packing at loading is worth reading twice, because it was written before the cargo reached you.
9. Freight terms, prepaid or to be paid at destination. This is for your forwarder.

Fields that may mislead

• Count and contents. Wording such as "said to contain" or "shipper's load and count" usually signals that the carrier took the container as sealed and recorded the shipper's figures. The package count may then be the shipper's statement and not the carrier's own. Ask your forwarder what the wording means for your shipment.
• Description. "General cargo" or "household goods" is too vague to match against specific items. Use the packing list for that.
• Weight. It may be an estimate or copied from the packing list. Find out how it was obtained before treating it as a measurement.
• Seals. A seal can be replaced after an inspection, and the document may not have been updated.
• Version. Drafts, copies and originals can differ. Make sure you hold the final version, and note which one you used.

What a mismatch does and does not mean

A mismatch is not proof of theft or of fault. Typical innocent causes are a typing error, a different unit (pallets on one paper, cartons on another), a consolidated shipment split between several bills, or an amended document that has not yet reached you. What a mismatch does give you is a fact to record, with both versions side by side, and a question for the party that issued the document. Do not correct the paper yourself. Write to your forwarder, state the two figures and ask for an amended copy.

A conditional example. The bill of lading shows 18 pallets, 648 cartons and 11,450 kg gross. The packing list shows 18 pallets, 648 cartons and 11,420 kg. You count 18 pallets and 648 cartons, so the count agrees. The two weights differ by 30 kg, which is about 0.26 percent, small enough to be a matter of rounding or of the weight of the pallets, and worth a line in the log, not an alarm. The seal is a different matter: the bill of lading gives 84215 and the lock on the container reads 84251, two digits swapped. You photograph the seal, note the difference and ask the forwarder to confirm in writing which number is right.

In short

Read the bill of lading as the carrier's account, compare it with the others and write down where the versions part. CargoChek sets the bill of lading against the invoice, the packing list and the cargo itself, and writes down what agreed and what did not. What a mismatch means in law is for your forwarder or a lawyer.