Unclean B/L (Claused B/L)

Unclean B/L (or Claused B/L) refers to a bill of lading on which the carrier has annotated defects such as poor packaging, damage, or short shipment of the goods. Such a B/L indicates that the goods were in poor apparent condition at the time of shipment, and the carrier assumes no liability for this. Usage scenarios: When goods have issues such as packaging damage, rust, or oil stains, the carrier will add annotations on the B/L to protect its own interests. Precautions: Importers and banks typically refuse to accept an unclean B/L because it affects cargo collection and claims; in letter of credit settlement, unless the L/C explicitly permits it, an unclean B/L constitutes a discrepancy and may lead to refusal of payment. Difference from a clean B/L: A clean B/L has no adverse annotations and indicates that the goods are in good apparent condition, and it is a standard requirement in letter of credit settlement. Foreign trade practitioners should try to provide a clean B/L; if it cannot be avoided, they need to communicate in advance with the buyer and the bank, or purchase insurance to cover the risk.