Bill of Lading Release
In This Article
We will cover how to enter bill of lading release information.
Navigation
The bill of lading release sections are below the Communications section near the bottom of the booking:
Steps
Note
There are 2 sections for Bill of Lading Release: on for the Master Bill of Lading Release and one for the House Bill of Lading Release. Both sections are identical in functionality and pertain to the corresponding bill of lading, the Master and the House BL. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the Master BL Release.
What is a Bill of Lading Release?
A BL Release identifies how the bill of lading will be released to the buyer of the goods or their agent, so that they will be able to obtain possession of the goods upon the arrival.
Definition
As a refresher, a Master Bill of Lading is the Bill of Lading issued by the ocean carrier, and a House Bill of Lading is issues by the NVOCC (Non Vessel Operating Common Carrier).
- Click on the BL Release section to expand the section:
Selecting the BL Type and Status
- Click on the BL Release Type and Status to select the type of release and release status for this bill of lading:
Field |
Description |
| BL Release Type | The type of release for the bill of lading: Original, Express, Telex. Original - means the Original, physical Bill of Lading is needed to obtain possession of the goods from the carrier by the consignee/buyer or thier agent. Express - means the goods can be released by the carrier by means of an electronic document. (This is also referred to as a Sea Waybill or Straight Bill of Lading). Telex - means the goods can be released to the consignee/buyer via a telex (or email) containing the bill of lading information. |
| BL Release Status | The status of the release: Released - The goods have been released by the carrier to the Consignee or their agent. Not Released - The goods have not been released. On Hold - The release is on hold. Usually due to waiting on payment for the goods or shipping expenses. (The Release Status will display at the top of the panel). |
Original BL Release
- If you select Orginal as the BL release type, then the fields shown below will appear in the epanel:
Field |
Description |
| Release Location | This specifies where the release is to take place: Origin - Goods will be released at the origin of the shipment. Destination - Goods will be released at the destination. |
| Location | The actual location where the release will take place. This is a city (UNLOC city code). |
| Originals | This section tracks the sending of the Original Bill of Lading Document(s) to the Consignee: Originals Sent - Date the Original BL(S) were sent. Sent Via - Method of sending the originals (Courier, Fedex, UPS, DHL, etc..) Tracking Number - The couriers tracking number. LOI Received On - Date of receipt of the LOI. A Letter of Indemnity (LOI) can allow a carrier to release cargo without the original bill of lading. The LOI obligates the shipper to take responsibility for any damages or losses that may result from a breach of contract, such as the terms and conditions of the bill of lading. |
| Revised Originals | This section tracks the sending of the Revised Original Bill of Lading Document(s) to the Consignee (if a revision is needed): Revised Originals Sent - Date the Revised Original BL(S) were sent. Sent Via - Method of sending the revised originals (Courier, Fedex, UPS, DHL, etc..) Tracking Number - The couriers tracking number. OBL Returned - Date of receipt of the Original Bill of Lading. |
| Extras | This field can be used to record any extra information about the bill of lading release. |
Express BL Release
- If you select Express as the BL Release Type, there are no additional fields for this release type.
Telex BL Release
- If you select Telex as the BL Release Type, then the following field will appear:
Field |
Description |
| Telex Sent | Enter the date the telex or email was sent. |
BL Release Validation Logic
If you change the status of the BL Release to Released, and the customer has any prepaid charges that have not been paid, then the system will display a warning message. You will have the option to overide the warning and continue.