Contents of Bill of Lading: Requirements for Filling Out Ocean Bill of Lading Fields

1. Front Page Content of the Bill of Lading

Generally, the front of the Bill of Lading records details concerning the goods and their carriage. Some details are required by domestic legislation or international conventions as essential clauses of the contract of carriage; omission or error may affect the legal validity of the Bill. Others are decided by the carrier for operational needs or agreed upon between the carrier and the shipper to be stated on the front. The former are called mandatory particulars, and the latter optional particulars.

(1) Mandatory Particulars

Laws regarding Bills of Lading in various countries stipulate mandatory particulars. Although these requirements vary in complexity, they are fundamentally similar in terms of legal effect and operational needs. Article 73, Paragraph 1 of China's Maritime Code states that the contents of a Bill of Lading shall include the following:

① Description of the goods: name, marks, number of packages or pieces, weight or volume, and a description of the dangerous nature if carrying dangerous goods;

② Parties involved: name of the shipper and consignee, name and principal place of business of the carrier;

③ Transport details: name and nationality of the ship, port of loading and date of receipt of goods at the port of loading, port of discharge and the shipping route; for a multimodal transport Bill of Lading, additionally, the place of receipt of goods and place of delivery;

④ Issuance of Bill: date, place, and number of originals of issuance; signature of the carrier, master, or their agent.

⑤ Record of freight and other charges payable to the carrier.

Among the above items, except for the ship's name when issuing a multimodal transport Bill of Lading inland, the place of receipt and place of delivery when issuing a sea waybill, and the payment of freight (these three can be omitted), all others are indispensable. Generally, items concerning the issuance of the Bill and other charges payable to the carrier are filled in by the carrier, while others are provided by the shipper. In addition to the mandatory particulars above, agreements between carrier and shipper, such as agreeing to stow goods on deck, agreeing on a delivery date at the port of destination, agreeing to increase the carrier’s liability limit, expand the carrier’s liability, waive certain exemptions, or other matters stipulated by law, must be stated on the front of the Bill.

The front content may also include matters recorded in handwriting, typing, or stamp forms. Some are for the carrier’s operational needs, such as voyage number, the master's name, time and place of freight payment, exchange rate, Bill number, and notify party. Others aim to differentiate liability between carrier and shipper, such as remarks regarding quantity disputes. Some are added to reduce or exempt carrier liability, e.g., stamping clauses exempting liability for damage to special easily damaged goods to expand or emphasize the pre-printed exemption clauses on the Bill.

(2) Clauses on the Front of the Bill

Front clauses are printed contractual statements detailing the carrier's exemptions and the shipper's commitments. Common clauses include:

① Shipment (or Receipt) Clause. For example: "Shipped on board the vessel named above in apparent good order and condition (unless otherwise indicated) the goods or packages specified herein and to be discharged at the above mentioned port of discharge or as near thereto as the vessel may safely get and be always afloat."

② Unknown Clause. For example: "The weight, measure, marks, numbers, quality, contents and value, being particulars furnished by the Shipper, are not checked by the Carrier on loading."

③ Acceptance Clause. For example: "The Shipper, Consignee and the Holder of this Bill of Lading hereby expressly accept and agree to all printed, written or stamped provisions, exceptions and conditions of this Bill of Lading, including those on the back hereof."

④ Signature Clause. For example: "In witness whereof, the Carrier or his Agents has signed Bills of Lading all of this tenor and date, one of which being accomplished, the others to stand void. Shippers are requested to note particularly the exceptions and conditions of this Bill of Lading with reference to the validity of the insurance upon their goods."

2. Back Clauses of the Bill of Lading

The back of the Bill of Lading contains various printed clauses, generally divided into two types: one is mandatory clauses, whose content must not contravene the country's maritime laws, international conventions, or port practices; non-compliance renders the clauses void. The other is optional clauses, concerning matters not explicitly stipulated by these laws, conventions, or practices, allowing carriers to formulate them. All clauses define the rights, obligations, liabilities, and exemptions of the carrier, shipper, and other parties regarding the carriage of goods, serving as the basis for dispute resolution. Despite variances in complexity among shipping companies—some with up to 30-40 clauses—the content is essentially similar. Main clauses are introduced as follows:

(1) Definition: In most shipping company Bills, a definition clause stipulates the meaning and scope of the "merchant," generally defined to include the shipper, consignee, receiver, holder of the Bill of Lading, and owner of the goods.

(2) Paramount Clause: This clause specifies the governing law of the Bill—stating which country's law and court will decide in case of disputes. It is often placed at the top of terms, typically as Clause 1.

(3) Carrier’s Responsibility Clause: This defines the carrier's liabilities and obligations for the carriage of goods. Whenever the paramount clause specifies the applicable law — or any international convention or state maritime law on the Bill prescribes carrier liabilities— Bills with a paramount clause or similar generally do not separately list the carrier's responsibilities. E.g., if the paramount clause stipulates the Hague Rules apply, then the carrier’s responsibility under these Hague Rules becomes their responsibility and duty.

(4) Carrier’s Period of Responsibility Clause: Each shipping company's Bill includes a clause determining the effective period of carrier liability for goods. Under the Hague Rules, carrier liability runs from the start of loading until the end of discharge, the "tackle to tackle" responsibility (from when goods hang from the ship's tackle to when they are off the hook.). This process doesn't suit regular liner trade typical “warehouse receipt, consolidated loading” and “groups discharge, warehouse delivery”. To attract business, some carriers extend the liability period to both ends of the process recording the expansion in clauses. Then, for this reason and with container transport involvement, the Hamburg Rules expand this liability period to total time when the carrier is in control of the goods - i.e. includes when the cargo is under the carrier's control from receipt at port of loading, through carriage and until delivery at destination. Compared to the Hague Rules, this undoubtedly represents a lengthening and increase of the carrier's responsibility/liability.

(5) Exception Clause: Given prime in the Bill about applicable rules—all international and local maritime conventions carry certain carrier exemptions. Thus even if a Bill of Lading lacks a listed exemption clause, the framework guarantees exemption rights follow from the law rule. For the Hague Rules, these except perils include Acts of God (earthquake, tidal wave, lightning) war, armed conflict & piracy, quarantine/judicial seizures, strikes, grounding, at-sea rescue or to adjust coverage of the perils involved. Faults origin from shipper side (bad packaging) natural or latent defect of goods; ordinary "wastage" with volume/normal attributes which give rise to depletion.

(6) Claim Clause: Includes limitation of liability, the carrier’s liability, damages payable for loss and destruction as. freight charge sum every a stated

(7) Packing and Mark Clause: this asks shipper to safely fix/adequate pack/wrap packaging long before commencement clear identification prominently-mark cargo marked to final/next away destination and to guarantee particulars stay readable onward forward all transit.

(8) Freight Clause: This holds that: Prepaid payment vessel "time incur shipped alongside its payable - Dangerous/perishable lading different rate/higher etc is also bound to immediate payment- Payment together goes along These two following elements / if goods proven discrepancy that unit measure – detail versus disclosed about of carrier recalculates plus liquidated consequences complete payload additional when failing penalty from cost (shipper stands - a all hidden-over expense loss"! Carrier through scan reclaim sums.

(9) Lien Clause!: An infringe-case in shipping upon non-payer inside for combined fee sums / demurrage/the yard charge portion share sums allocable their freight that carrier holds : to detain guard aside while free seizure recovery items sell either all missing in collection piece-bal unused; sums subtraction This they keep redress gap pursuit still with pay.

(10) Transshipment or Cargo Shift Clause:: If the operation makes carriage appropriate-or transferring/staging reroute alternative method or final stations - No extra transportation surcharge carriers concerned bears from material bills but still full the opposite's person carrier goes responsibility total inside carrier operate.

(ii) ports Delivery && Offload arrangement text: Goods… into storage with owners risk/sure landing expense consumption shipper binding- .delays caused path A owners due bearing consequence cost/person fall them end receiver/basis through berth term his.

Damage On plant (especially plants deck)(ad) P -These to in legal words possibly dropped from description As per their- hence total null regarding hold disclaim “ risk liability all except wherein Carriage documents’ instructions/s confirms cargo indeed live actually physically / carry exposed transported put and stored and but sea-face allowed relief you " exception use clear up indeed owner"/ holder area deck-laded…&.

(Danger p handle The! shipping carrier first takes dangerous substances’ careful Stow – However load parties known very Hidden before process giving or notice We will take item store before . There with no recourse loss – burning-off if proven A & measure till treat!

Alongside front/back to former bill features extra supply notes/last annotations re ship-cargo via post scrib " so that ever operations clarity prevail shipping proper…&.

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