Combined Transport B/L

Combined Transport B/L refers to a transport document issued by a Multimodal Transport Operator (MTO) covering the entire carriage involving at least two different modes of transport (such as sea, air, land, rail, etc.). It is commonly used in container multimodal transport scenarios, such as sea-land or sea-air combined transport. Unlike a traditional ocean B/L, the period of responsibility under a Combined Transport B/L runs from the time of taking goods in charge to the time of delivery, implementing 'door-to-door' transport. Notes: A Combined Transport B/L may not be a document of title; if it is a straight B/L, it is non-negotiable. When settling by L/C, it is necessary to confirm whether the bank accepts it. The difference from an 'Ocean B/L' is that an Ocean B/L only covers the port-to-port sea segment, while a Combined Transport B/L covers the entire multimodal journey. It is essentially the same as a 'Multimodal Transport B/L', but in some contexts Combined Transport B/L specifically refers to a document issued by the carrier that includes the sea segment. Foreign trade practitioners should pay attention to the qualifications of the issuer of the Combined Transport B/L, the liability clauses, and its compliance with L/C requirements.