Sea waybill and sea bill of lading

Bill of lading

Functions of the bill of lading

• It is a document proving the fact of the conclusion of the contract of carriage. Contains all the main terms of this agreement.
• Carries the function of a “receipt” – a document confirming the fact of acceptance of the cargo by the carrier (ship owner) for transportation, in the quantity and quality specified in it.
• It is a security that gives ownership of a specific cargo (document of title). The bill of lading, with the cargo specifically indicated in it, can be sold, bought, transferred under certain conditions to another person, and the physical movement of the goods is not required.

Issuance of a bill of lading

The main legislation governing maritime transport includes:

• Hague Rules 1921: International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to Bills of Lading.
• The Hague-Visby Rules: Brussels Protocol 1968 Revising the Hague Bills of Lading Rules 1921).
• Hamburg Rules: United Nations Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea 1978.
• In Russian legislation: Merchant Shipping Code of the Russian Federation of April 30, 1999.