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Original Bills of Lading, their Endorsements and Release Authorities

For good order sake, please read carefully. Your understanding of these Guidance Notes is material to
the timely delivery or release of your cargo.
Cargo will only be released/delivered once the Original Bill of Lading has been surrendered to CSAV UK
& IRELAND LIMITED (hereinafter referred to as the Group Agency) or an Agent working on
CSAV/Norasia/Libra or the Group Agencys behalf by the Merchant (including Shipper or Bearer) or
unless shipped on a Seaway bill. Upon receipt of an Original Bill Of Lading any endorsement and release
authority must be verified and accepted by the Group Agency.
1.

To Order or To Order of Bill of Lading (A negotiable bill of lading)

Typically issued as follows:

Shipper:
Consignee:
Notify Party:

Name of Shipper
To Order or To Order of a Company, Bank or Individual
optional

If a To Order Bill of Lading is made out to a named party the To Order party must endorse it. A simple
To Order entered in the Consignee box must be endorsed by the Shipper.
Endorsements must be both a Company Stamp and Signature. The Group Agency will not accept any
typed or handwritten endorsements.
An endorsement of the Bill of Lading in Blank, (by Company Stamp and Signature) but not further
endorsed converts the status to a bearer document (a Bearer Bill of Lading). The bearer of the Bill of
Lading is the cargo principal or his representative and who will be able to obtain release/delivery of the
cargo. For the avoidance of doubt the bearer must at the first opportunity disclose to the Group Agency
the name, address and full contact details of any cargo principal not named on the Bill of Lading or
previously not fully disclosed elsewhere whom the bearer represents. The bearer will also be responsible
for any freight and ancillary costs pertaining to the shipment in question.
Where there is an endorsement of the Bill of Lading in Special, (by Shippers Company Stamp,
signature and instructions to release/deliver To The Order of a named party), the named party, as
endorsee, must further endorse the back of the Original Bill of Lading (either in Blank or Special) in
order to acknowledge agreement with the terms and conditions of the Bill of Lading and to demonstrate
change of ownership. Bills of Lading in Special that have not been completed by endorsement in Blank
will not be accepted and the Group Agency will have the right to ask for another Original Bill of Lading
correctly endorsed or a Letter of Indemnity prior to cargo release/delivery.
If the party requesting release/delivery of the cargo is not the bearer (typically the bearers agent) a
written release will be required from the bearer to the party requesting release/delivery. This release
authorisation must be received directly from the bearer by the Group Agency on the bearers letter
headed paper giving UK authorisation to release/deliver. This may take the form of a continuous
authority (Blanket Release) or specific to the shipment in question. Releases received via the party
requesting release (i.e. not directly from the bearer) or via an unidentified email address will be
insufficient to obtain cargo release/delivery.

These notes are compiled by CSAV UK & Ireland Limited and should not be reproduced without permission. These notes are for
guidance only and do not for part of any contractual terms either written or implied.
All business is conducted subject to our Terms and Conditions (February 2011 edition) a copy of which is available on request. The
Terms and Conditions include limitation and time bar provisions

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2.

Straight/Consigned Bill Of Lading (a non-negotiable bill of lading)

Typically issued:
Shipper:
Consignee:
Notify Party:

Name of Shipper
Name of Receiver
optional

A Straight/Consigned Bill of Lading is a Bill of Lading issued with a named Consignee. This is a nonnegotiable Bill of Lading and any endorsements are invalid. Non-negotiable Bills of Lading can be
surrendered by any party but the right to possession of the goods will remain with the Consignee unless
instructions are received by the Group Agency from the Consignee to advise otherwise.
If the Consignee is not the party requesting release/delivery of the cargo, a written release will be
required from the Consignee to the party asking for the cargo. This release authorisation must be
received directly by the Group Agency from the Consignee in writing on the Consignees Letter headed
paper giving the Group Agency authorisation to release/deliver cargo. Releases received via the party
requesting release (i.e. not directly from the Consignee) or via an unidentified email address will be
insufficient to obtain cargo release/delivery.
[For avoidance of doubt, please do not confuse Non-negotiable Bills of Lading with the duplicate parts of
sets of Bills of Lading that are marked non-negotiable]
3.

Sea Waybill

If cargo is carried under a Sea Waybill, no Bill of Lading need be surrendered. The Sea Waybill records
the fact that the cargo is consigned to a named party, the Consignee. Like a Straight Bill of Lading if the
Consignee is not the party requesting release, a release authorisation will be required from the
Consignee over to the party requesting release. This release must be received directly by the Group
Agency from the Consignee in writing on the Consignees Letter headed paper giving the Group Agency
authorisation to release/deliver. Releases received via the requesting party (i.e. not directly from the
Consignee) or via an unidentified email address will be insufficient to obtain cargo release/delivery.
4.

Telex/Duplex Releases

A Telex/Duplex release is when the full set of Original Bills Of Lading has been surrendered at the Port of
Loading (POL). Upon this receipt the Port of Loading will inform the Port of Discharge of this receipt.
The Group Agency will not release any cargo until receipt of the confirmation direct from the POL. The
Group Agency will not accept any copy Bills of Lading that have Surrendered stamped on them as proof
of a Telex/Duplex Release.
5.

To Order Bills Of Lading Telex/Duplex Releases

The Group Agency discourages To Order Shipper Bills of Lading being surrendered at the POL. When
they are surrendered the Group Agency will only release the cargo to the UK party if the Bills Of Lading
have been correctly endorsed by the Shipper. If endorsed in Blank (Company Stamp and Signature) and
the Shipper/Agent has surrendered the Bills Of Lading, the Shipper/Agent (as Bearer) must issue a
release authority to the POL stating to whom in the UK they are releasing the cargo over to. The Group
Agency will only release the cargo to the Party named by the Bearer on their release authorisation
request which the Group Agency must receive direct from the POL.
To Order Shipper Bill Of Lading surrendered at the POL endorsed in Special by the Shipper over To
the Order of a UK Party who have not handled the Bills Of Lading to further endorse will not be accepted
and must be sent to the applicable party in the UK.
These notes are compiled by CSAV UK & Ireland Limited and should not be reproduced without permission. These notes are for
guidance only and do not for part of any contractual terms either written or implied.
All business is conducted subject to our Terms and Conditions (February 2011 edition) a copy of which is available on request. The
Terms and Conditions include limitation and time bar provisions

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The Group Agency will not accept any To Order UK Consignee/UK Bank Bills of Lading being
surrendered at the POL that have not been endorsed correctly by the applicable To Order Party. Bills of
Lading must be sent direct from the POL to the To Order UK Party to verify, agree with terms and
conditions and endorse accordingly, before surrendering the Group Agency.
These Guidance Notes are provided to assist a party in obtaining the timely delivery or release of cargo.
They have no contractual status. Customers are reminded that all business of CSAV UK & Ireland Limited
is in accordance with their Standard Terms and Conditions (February 2011 edition).

These notes are compiled by CSAV UK & Ireland Limited and should not be reproduced without permission. These notes are for
guidance only and do not for part of any contractual terms either written or implied.
All business is conducted subject to our Terms and Conditions (February 2011 edition) a copy of which is available on request. The
Terms and Conditions include limitation and time bar provisions