Bill of lading
A carrier's document that records receipt of cargo for shipment and serves as a receipt, a contract of carriage, and a document of title.
A bill of lading is a document issued by a carrier (or its agent) acknowledging that cargo has been received for shipment. It serves three functions at once: a receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and, in negotiable form, a document of title to the goods. It records the shipper, consignee, carrier, and a description of the cargo.
Bills of lading, and the trade and customs records derived from them, are a key documentary source for tracing what physically moves between two parties, which is why they feature in supply-chain and arms-logistics investigations.
Also known as: B/L
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Cite this page: Break the Chain (NYC-DSA Anti-War Working Group), "Bill of lading," Arms-Trade and Logistics Glossary. https://wecanbreakthechain.com/glossary/bill-of-lading/
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The paper trail ends at the loading dock. Break the Chain documents the NYC-area companies that move the cargo, each with a documented role and a published source, and publishes the research as it lands.