Trade Document-Transportation Documents

A single export shipment can involve a lot of different documents to ensure that the goods reach the final consignee.A few commonly used transportation documents are listed below. Some of them have already been discussed in detail about their importance and function in the former chapter.Therefore,the subsequent discussion will be mainly about the ones that have no been covered and the details that should be contained in those already mentioned before.

*Shipping Note
A shipping note gives information about a particular export consignment when offered for shipment. It serves the shipping company as a delivery or receipt note for particular consignment.Some people also call it Mate's Receipt.Its role in various ports and trades may differ worldwide. Anyway , the cargo description in a shipping Note should comform to that found on the commercial invoice.

*Packing List
A Packing list provides a list of the contents of the consignment.It is completed by the shipper.Its prime purpose is to give an inventory of the shipped goods.It is often attached to the Bill of lading, the Air Waybill, or Consignment Note.A packing list is especially useful for the consignments which are composite (散箱拼装）。It accompanies the goods throughout the transit and placed in the container,trailer,etc.And it is ususally required by the costoms for clearing purpose.

*Bill of Lading
The Bill of Lading is the contract between the owner of the goods and the carrier.The customers ususally needs the original as proof of the ownership to take possession of the goods.Although there are many different kinds of B/L. the key elements contained in a B/L should in clude:
1. Name of the shipper
2.Name of the carring vessel
3.Full description of the cargo(provide it is not bulk cargo)including any shipping marks,individual package numbers in the consignment,contents,cubic measurement ,gross weight,etc.
4.Port of lading and port of discharge.
5.Full details of freight,including when and where it is paid-whether freight paid or payable at destinaiton
6.Name of the shipper
7.Name of the carring vessel
8.Terms of the contract of carriage
9.The dae the goods were received for shipemnt/or Loaded on the vessel.
10.The name and address of the notified part ( the person to be notified on arrival of the shipment, usually the buyer)
11.Number of Bills of Lading consigned on behalf to the master or his agent, acknowledging receipt of the goods.
12.Signature of the carrier or his agent and the date.

*Consignment Note (for Rail and Road)
A consignment Note is not a negotiable or transferable document or a document of title,but forms a receipt of the cargo. The consignment note must contain the following particulars:
1.The name and address of the sender and the consignee
2.The original rail station accepting consignment and the station or place designated for delivery
3.The ordinary description of the nature of the goods and method of packing and, in the case of dangerous goods,their generally recognized description
4.The gross weight of the goods and the quantity
5.The charges related to the carriage
6.The requisite instructions of customs and other information

It should be noted that the sender is responsible for the accuracy and adequacy of information contained in the Consignment Note.The sender should also provide the necessary information of the purpose of Customs or other formalities which have to be completed before delivery of the goods

*Air Waybill
In addition to the introduction about it before, details that should be comtained in An Air Waybill are listed in the following:
1.The place and date of its execution
2.Names of the departure and destination airports
3.The names and addresses of the consignor,consignees and the carrier
4.A description of the goods including method of packing,marks,weights,quantity and dimensions,etc.
5.the total freight amount prepaid and to pay and the rate
6.The declared value for customs purpose,likewise for carriage,and the currency
7.Date of the flight
8.Details of any special route to be taken
9.The signature of the shipper or his agent
10.The signature of the issuing carrrier (airline operator) or his agent
11.Details of the booked flight and the actual flight(s) incorporating the first,second and the third carrier if there are several carriers involved

At the detination airport(s),the Air Waybill serves as a basic document for verification to consignee,Customers clearance and delivery to consignee.Additionally, it is a source document for clearance and delivery-charges accounting.

*Arrival Notification
An Arrival Notification is a document advising the consignee of the arrival of consignments. It also requires the consignee to submit appropriate document,such as original Bill of Lading,for customs clearance.Thus,the carrier can subsequently dispatch the goods to the consignee.Details could be refered to the attached sample.