A bill of lading is the core shipping document that works as a receipt for cargo, a contract of carriage, and often a document of title. Several types serve different needs. A straight bill names a single consignee and is not negotiable. An order bill is negotiable and can be transferred by endorsement, which lets banks use it in trade finance. A bearer bill passes to whoever holds it.
Bills also divide by stage and condition: a received-for-shipment bill confirms the carrier holds the goods, a shipped on board bill confirms they are loaded, a clean bill shows no damage noted, and a claused bill records a problem. Texas International Freight issues the right bill for your move alongside the notify party and combined transport details.
Your document set also pairs the bill with the packing list and commercial invoice, and the bill records the carrier’s acceptance of the goods for carriage. An NVOCC issues its own house bill as a non-vessel-operating carrier.
