"Clean" bill of lading: Who is responsible, financially speaking?

by Tekle Sebhatu

Question:

Hello Tekle, When it comes to bill of lading, what happens if the bill is not "clean," meaning what process follows if this happens? And who is responsible financially at this stage? Thank you.

Answer:

A bill of lading is a document issued and signed by a transportation company to show receipt of goods for transportation from and to the point of destination. A clean bill of lading, simply put, is when the goods received by the carrier (transportation company) are in appropriate condition with no defects or damage to goods and/or packaging. If, for example, the container received by the carrier was damaged, the carrier makes a notation that expressly declares the defective condition of the container. Ultimately, it is the exporter who will be responsible financially because of the damaged container and or package to be shipped.