What Is A Waybill?
A waybill is a document that acts like a receipt for a shipment of goods. It is issued by a carrier, such as a trucking company or freight forwarder and contains details about the shipment.
It is a record that travels with the goods throughout the shipping journey. Different waybill variations are used depending on situations like blanket waybills for multiple shipments or astray waybills for shipments separated from their documentation.
How Does A Waybill Differ From A Bill Of Lading (B/L)?
While both waybills and bills of lading (B/L) are important documents in the shipping world, they serve distinct purposes:
Function
- Waybill: Primarily a receipt and record of a shipment. It acknowledges the carrier has received the goods and outlines the shipping details.
- Bill Of Lading: Establishes a legal agreement between the shipper, carrier, and receiver. More importantly, it functions as a document of title. Possession of the original B/L is typically required to claim…