Master B/L

Master B/L (Master Bill of Lading) is the bill of lading issued by the carrier (shipping company or its agent) to the freight forwarder or the contracting shipper, representing the contract of carriage and document of title for the entire shipment. In LCL or freight forwarder consolidation business, the Master B/L corresponds to the full container or entire batch of cargo, while the freight forwarder then issues a House B/L to the actual shipper. Use cases include: the freight forwarder booking space with the shipping company as shipper, the letter of credit requiring submission of the Master B/L, or the consignee needing to take delivery against the Master B/L. Precautions: The consignee on the Master B/L is usually the freight forwarder's agent at the destination port, not the final buyer, so the actual consignee must exchange the House B/L for the Master B/L to take delivery; if the letter of credit stipulates submission of the Master B/L, ensure its terms are consistent with the House B/L to avoid discrepancies. Differences from the House B/L: The Master B/L is issued by the shipping company, while the House B/L is issued by the freight forwarder; the shipper on the Master B/L is the freight forwarder, while the shipper on the House B/L is the actual shipper; the consignee on the Master B/L is often the freight forwarder's agent, while the consignee on the House B/L is the actual buyer. In addition, the Master B/L may not show the actual shipper's information to protect the freight forwarder's commercial confidentiality.