Forwarding Agent, Haulier, Clean Bill Of Lading, and

Shipping Agent

The Role Of Forwarding Agent• The main purpose of a Freight Forwarder or

Forwarding Agent is to arrange cargo movements to destinations overseas. In this role you could be involved in all modes of transport including air, sea, road and rail freight.

• An International Freight Forwarder will have specialist expertise relating to preparing and processing documentation for international shipping.

• A Forwarding Agent will typically review documentation such as commercial invoices and shipper’s export declaration Bills of Lading.

Cont.

• A Freight Forwarder or Forwarding Agent will also look at any other documents required by the carrier or the country of import or trans-shipment,  including HM Customs documents – which are produced digitally, creating paperless working methods.

• The role of Freight Forwarder or Forwarding Agent involves working with others’ and so being able to communicate clearly and being very organised is essential.

• Application Import and Export Permit (AP)

Example Of Forwarding Agent

• Era Integrated Logistics Sdn Bhd• ABBA MARITIME SDN BHD• AGENSI PERKAPALAN GML SDN BHD

Hauliers

• A services provide by haulage company used to transport cargo from port to buyer premises.

• Haulier is consist of prime movers and trailers to sent the container to the buyer warehouse.

Example of haulier company

• Aimtrans Logistics (M) Sdn Bhd• Airoceanic Express Sdn Bhd• Bersatu Integrated Logistics Sdn Bhd• Hifreight Express Sdn Bhd

Prime Movers

BILL OF LaDING

Bill of Lading (B/L)

Bill of Lading is the transport document associated with Sea freight.

It is issued by the Shipping Company or its agent or master of a ship acknowledging that specified goods have been received on board as cargo for conveyance to a named place for delivery to the consignee who is usually identified.

It is a document of title to the goods and, as such, is

freely transferable by endorsement and delivery.

• Bill of Lading serves three purposes as: – Receipt given by Shipping Company as goods described

on document has been received by it/carrier.– Evidence of the contract of carriage by sea between the

shipping company and the shipper (exporter or importer).

– Document of title to the goods and can be used to obtain payment or a written promise before the merchandise is released to the importer.

• For the bill of lading to be negotiable it must be:

1. made out to the order to the shipper.

2. signed by the steamship company.

3. endorsed in blank by the shipper.

• It is the only evidence to file a claim against the shipping company in the event of non-delivery, defective delivery or short-delivery of the cargo at the destination.

• For preparation of B/L the exporter should submit the complete set of B/L together with mate receipt to the shipping company which will calculate the freight amount on the basis of measurement or weight.

• On payment of freight, the shipping company returns the B/L duly signed and supported by requisite adhesive stamps.

• Generally made out in the sets of two or three originals duly signed by the master of the ship or the agent of the steamship company.

• All the originals are equally valid for taking the delivery of the goods. Once one original is utilised the other originals become null and void.

• Marked as ‘Non-negotiable copy’ cannot be utilised for taking the delivery of goods.

• Bill of Lading contains the following information: – Shipping company’s name and address.– Consignee’s name and address.– Notify party– Name of the vessel, – Port of loading/Shipment and port of discharge.– Shipping marks and Numbers, Cubic measurements, weights– Description of the goods – Number of packages.– Shipped on board with date-rubber stamp.– Gross weight and net weight.– Freight details – Signature of the shipping company’s agent.– Container number if any.– Shipper’s name and address.– B/L Number and Date– Originals– Terms (on reverse)

• Bill of Lading can be further described as under:- –Shipped on Board :- When goods are

actually shipped on board.–Received for shipment :- When goods

have been handed over to agent for shipment.

–Through B/L:- When two or more carriers/ different modes of transport form i.e. road, rail, air, and sea employed to reach goods to their final destination.

– Transhipment B/L:- When there is no direct service between the two ports and shipowner is prepared to tranship the goods at an intermediate port.

– Stale B/L:- i.e. a late B/L that has been held too long before it is passed on to a bank for negotiation or to the consignee.

– Clean B/L:- Where the carrier has noted that the goods have been received or loaded in ‘apparent good condition’ (no apparent damage, loss, etc.).

– Claused B/L:- Which contains additional clauses/notations limiting the responsibility of the shipping company which specify deficient condition(s) of the goods and/or packaging.

– Combined Transport B/L:- When different modes of transport are used; usually issued when goods stuffed at shipper’s premises and delivered at consignee’s premises.

– Charter Party B/L:- Where a shipper has contracted with a shipping line to charter a vessel for the movement of cargo. It is issued by the carrier or its agent in the charter shipping. Unless otherwise authorized in the letter of credit (L/C), the charter party B/L is not acceptable in the L/C negotiation.

– Freight Paid B/L:- When freight is paid at the time of shipment or in advance, the B/L is marked, freight paid.

– Freight Collect B/L:- When the freight is not paid and is to be collected from the consignee on the arrival of the goods, the B/L is marked, freight collect.

– Negotiable B/L:- It is a title document to the goods, issued “to the order of” a party, usually the shipper, whose endorsement is required to effect it’s negotiation. Thus, a shipper's order (negotiable) B/L can be bought, sold, or traded while goods are in transit and is commonly used for letter of credit transactions.