24 January 2011
A bill of lading /AWB is a contract of carriage between an exporter and a service provider, such as an airline, steamship line, freight forwarder or shipping company. It identifies the parties to the transaction and their responsibility for payment of transportation and other accessorial fees, such as transfers and delivery. In international trade, the origin and destination of the bill of lading are usually for the “main carriage.” This is usually the transportation from the port of export to the port of importation. Trucking services may also provide bills of lading for export, if they are leaving under that mode of transport.