House Bill of Lading Example

INSTITUTIONAL HOUSE BILL OF LADING

DOCUMENT ID: HBL-OPS-2024-V1.0
EFFECTIVE DATE: [Effective Date]
VERSION: 1.0
GOVERNING JURISDICTION: [Jurisdiction - e.g., State of New York / Maritime Law of the United States]

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1. STATUTORY & LEGAL COMPLIANCE NOTICE

NOTICE: This House Bill of Lading is a non-negotiable contract of carriage (unless issued to "Order") governed by the terms, conditions, and exceptions set forth herein, as well as applicable domestic transportation statutes, international maritime conventions (including the Hague-Visby Rules or Hamburg Rules where mandatorily applicable), and federal carrier regulations. By tendering the cargo described herein to the freight forwarder, non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), or logistics operator, the Shipper, Consignee, and Holder hereof agree to all stipulations, exceptions, and conditions whether printed, stamped, or written hereon, and warrant that they possess full legal authority to bind all interested cargo owners and parties-in-interest.

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2. PARTIES & RECITALS

THIS HOUSE BILL OF LADING is entered into and made effective as of [Effective Date], by and between:

1. CARRIER / FREIGHT FORWARDER / NVOCC: [Company Full Legal Name], a corporation organized and existing under the laws of [State/Country of Incorporation], maintaining its principal place of business at [Principal Address] (hereinafter referred to as the "Carrier").
2. SHIPPER / CONSIGNOR: [Shipper Full Legal Name], maintaining its principal place of business at [Principal Address] (hereinafter referred to as the "Shipper").
3. CONSIGNEE: [Consignee Full Legal Name], maintaining its principal place of business at [Principal Address] (hereinafter referred to as the "Consignee").
4. NOTIFY PARTY: [Notify Party Full Legal Name], maintaining its principal place of business at [Principal Address] (hereinafter referred to as the "Notify Party").

RECITALS:

• WHEREAS, the Shipper desires to retain the Carrier to arrange, manage, and execute the multi-modal or ocean transport, handling, storage, and delivery of certain cargo;
• WHEREAS, the Carrier operates as a licensed freight forwarder and/or Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) and agrees to accept such cargo for transportation subject to the terms and conditions of this House Bill of Lading;
• NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants, promises, and freight charges set forth herein, the parties agree to the operative terms and conditions set forth below.

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3. SCHEDULE OF TRANSPORTATION & CARGO PARTICULARS

FREIGHT & CHARGES:

• Freight Prepaid / Collect: [Prepaid / Collect]
• Total Amount Payable: [Amount in USD] USD
• Payable at: [Location of Payment]
• Number of Original House Bills of Lading: [Number, e.g., Three (3)]

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4. EXHAUSTIVE OPERATIVE CLAUSES & LEGAL TERMS

SECTION 1: SCOPE OF SERVICES & ENGAGEMENT

1.1 Scope of Carriage. The Carrier agrees to transport, or procure the transportation of, the goods specified in the Schedule of Transportation from the Place of Receipt (or Port of Loading) to the Place of Delivery (or Port of Discharge) in accordance with the terms of this House Bill of Lading. The Carrier is authorized to sub-contract the whole or any part of the carriage, loading, unloading, storing, warehousing, and handling of the goods with any underlying carrier, stevedore, warehouseman, or independent contractor, on any terms whatsoever, without prior notice to the Shipper. 1.2 Route and Deviations. The Carrier has the absolute liberty to transport the goods by any route, vessel, aircraft, train, or motor vehicle, whether direct or indirect, and to proceed via any port, place, or intermediate station, and to put the goods into craft, lighter, or land storage at any time, for any purpose whatsoever. Such acts shall not be deemed a deviation.

SECTION 2: COMPENSATION, INVOICING & PAYMENT TERMS

2.1 Freight and Charges. Freight and charges shall be deemed fully earned upon receipt of the goods by the Carrier, whether the goods are lost or not lost, and regardless of whether the voyage is broken, abandoned, or frustrated. Freight shall be paid in full without any deduction, counterclaim, or set-off in the currency specified in this Bill of Lading. 2.2 Invoicing and Payment. The Shipper, Consignee, and owner of the goods shall be jointly and severally liable to the Carrier for the payment of all freight, demurrage, detention, general average contributions, storage, and other charges. Invoices issued by the Carrier shall be paid within [Number, e.g., Thirty (30)] days of the invoice date. 2.3 Late Interest. Any undisputed sums remaining unpaid upon the expiration of the payment term shall accrue interest at the rate of [Number, e.g., One and One-Half Percent (1.5%)] per month, or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, whichever is lower, calculated daily from the due date until the date of actual payment.

SECTION 3: TERM, CANCELLATION & TERMINATION

3.1 Term of Engagement. This contract of carriage commences upon the physical receipt or taking into custody of the goods by the Carrier at the Place of Receipt and terminates upon final delivery of the goods to the Consignee or authorized agent at the Place of Delivery, or upon abandonment or lawful disposition of the goods pursuant to applicable law. 3.2 Termination for Convenience. The Shipper may cancel the booking and carriage prior to the loading of the goods aboard the primary transport conveyance upon written notice to the Carrier, subject to payment of all cancellation fees, positioning costs, dead freight, and administrative expenses incurred by the Carrier up to the date of cancellation. 3.3 Termination for Breach. The Carrier may terminate the carriage immediately upon written notice if the Shipper breaches any warranty regarding hazardous materials, contraband, description of goods, or fails to pay freight when due, holding the Shipper liable for all resulting costs, damages, and delays.

SECTION 4: CARRIER’S RESPONSIBILITY, LIMITATION OF LIABILITY & INDEMNIFICATION

4.1 Period of Responsibility. The Carrier shall be responsible for the goods from the time the goods are received by the Carrier at the terminal or port of loading until the time of delivery at the port or place of discharge, to the extent mandated by applicable international carriage conventions or local statutes. 4.2 Limitation of Liability. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Carrier’s liability for any loss, damage, misdelivery, or delay to the goods shall be limited to [Amount, e.g., $500 per package, or 2 SDRs per kilogram of gross weight, whichever is higher]. The Carrier shall not in any circumstances be liable for consequential, indirect, incidental, or special damages, loss of profits, loss of market, or loss of business opportunity, regardless of whether the Carrier had foreknowledge of such potential damages. 4.3 Shipper Indemnification. The Shipper, Consignee, and cargo owner shall jointly and severally indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Carrier, its agents, servants, and underlying sub-contractors against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, fines, penalties, and expenses (including reasonable attorney's fees) arising out of or related to:

• (a) The inaccuracy of marks, numbers, weight, volume, or description of the goods furnished by the Shipper;
• (b) The nature, condition, packaging, or leakage of the cargo;
• (c) Any breach of statutory or regulatory compliance regarding customs, import, export, or hazardous materials declarations.

SECTION 5: MUTUAL CONFIDENTIALITY & NON-DISCLOSURE

5.1 Confidential Information. The parties agree that all commercial terms, pricing, operational schedules, route data, and proprietary logistics workflows exchanged in connection with this House Bill of Lading constitute confidential information ("Confidential Information"). 5.2 Obligations. Each party agrees to hold all Confidential Information in strict confidence, using the same degree of care it uses to protect its own proprietary information, and shall not disclose such information to any third party except as required by law, court order, or regulatory mandate, or to professional advisors under equivalent obligations of confidentiality.

SECTION 6: REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

6.1 Shipper Warranties. The Shipper warrants that:

• (a) The goods are packed in a manner adequate to withstand the ordinary rigors of multi-modal transportation;
• (b) The goods do not constitute hazardous, dangerous, prohibited, or contraband materials unless expressly declared in writing to the Carrier prior to acceptance;
• (c) All documentation, customs declarations, and commercial invoices furnished to the Carrier are true, complete, and accurate in every material respect.

SECTION 7: GENERAL AVERAGE & SALVAGE

7.1 General Average. General average shall be adjusted, stated, and settled according to York-Antwerp Rules 2016 (or any subsequent modification thereof) at any port or place at the option of the Carrier. The Cargo-parties shall pay their proper proportion of general average expenses even if such necessity arose from negligence, fault, or error of the master, pilot, or crew. 7.2 New Jason Clause. In the event of accident, danger, damage, or disaster before or after the commencement of the voyage, resulting from any cause whatsoever, due to negligence or not, for which, or for the consequence of which, the Carrier is not responsible, by statute, contract, or otherwise, the goods, Shipper, and Consignee shall contribute with the Carrier in general average to the payment of any sacrifices, losses, or expenses of a general average nature that may be made or incurred, and shall pay salvage and special charges incurred in respect of the goods.

SECTION 8: DISPUTE RESOLUTION, GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION

8.1 Governing Law. This House Bill of Lading, and any claims or disputes arising out of or connected with it (whether in contract, tort, or admiralty), shall be governed by, construed, and enforced in accordance with the laws of [Governing Jurisdiction - e.g., the Federal Maritime Law of the United States and the laws of the State of New York], without regard to its conflict of laws principles. 8.2 Forum Selection / Arbitration. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to this contract, including its formation, breach, termination, or validity, shall be exclusively resolved by [courts of competent jurisdiction located in City, State / binding arbitration administered by the Society of Maritime Arbitrators (SMA) or AAA]. The prevailing party in any such dispute shall be entitled to recover its reasonable attorney's fees, expert witness fees, and court or arbitration costs.

SECTION 9: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

9.1 Severability. If any provision of this House Bill of Lading is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court or tribunal of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. 9.2 Entire Agreement. This House Bill of Lading, together with any referenced booking confirmations and rate sheets, constitutes the entire agreement between the Carrier and Shipper with respect to the subject matter hereof, superseding all prior oral or written negotiations, representations, or agreements. 9.3 Assignment. The Shipper shall not assign this House Bill of Lading or any rights hereunder without the prior written consent of the Carrier. Any purported assignment in violation of this section shall be null and void ab initio.

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5. EXECUTION & FORMAL SIGNATURE BLOCKS

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this House Bill of Lading to be duly executed by their respective authorized representatives as of the Effective Date written above.

FOR [COMPANY FULL LEGAL NAME] (CARRIER):

Signature: _____________________________________
Printed Name: [Authorized Signatory Name]
Title: [Title / Role]
Company: [Company Legal Name]
Date: [Date]

FOR [CLIENT / SHIPPER FULL LEGAL NAME] (SHIPPER):

Signature: _____________________________________
Printed Name: [Authorized Signatory Name]
Title: [Title / Role]
Company: [Shipper Legal Name]
Date: [Date]

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6. STEP-BY-STEP EXECUTION & FILING GUIDE

1. Document Customization: Open this template in a word processor (Microsoft Word or Google Docs). Locate all bracketed text fields ([...]) and replace them with precise, verified data pertaining to the shipment (e.g., legal names, addresses, ports of loading/discharge, and cargo descriptions).
2. Authority Verification: Verify that the individuals signing on behalf of the Carrier and the Shipper hold corporate authorization (Board Resolution, Power of Attorney, or executive officer status) to bind their respective legal entities to multi-modal transportation contracts and liability frameworks.
3. Execution Protocol:
   • Wet-Ink Execution: Print two (2) original copies, execute via manual signature and corporate seal (if applicable), and exchange physical copies via tracked courier.
   • Digital Execution: Upload the finalized document to an institutional electronic signature platform (e.g., DocuSign or Adobe Sign) configured for tamper-evident digital certificates conforming to ESIGN and eIDAS standards.
4. Distribution of Originals: Retain one (1) executed Master Original in the Carrier’s permanent operations archive. Issue the negotiable or non-negotiable House Bill of Lading copies to the Shipper, Consignee, and banking institutions (in documentary letter of credit transactions) as required by commercial terms.
5. Record Retention: Archive all signed bills of lading, booking notes, tally sheets, and customs declarations for a minimum period of [Number, e.g., Six (6) Years] or as mandated by local maritime and tax statutes for audit and liability defense purposes.