Documents
House B/L and master B/L
The shipping line issues the master B/L to the forwarder; the forwarder issues the house B/L to the actual shipper and consignee.
In four languages
When a forwarder or NVOCC handles the shipment, there are often two bills of lading. The shipping line issues the master B/L (MBL), usually with the forwarder at origin as shipper and its agent at destination as consignee. The forwarder issues a house B/L (HBL) to the real shipper and consignee, and its own terms and liability apply to that contract. In LCL there is one MBL for the container and one HBL for each customer. At destination, both levels must be released: the agent obtains release from the line under the MBL, and the consignee collects the delivery order from the agent under the HBL. Example: a Doha importer's 9 CBM of furniture shares a container from Shenzhen. The importer holds an HBL, while the line's MBL covers the whole consolidated container.
Questions
Which bill of lading do I need to collect my goods?
You present or release the house B/L to the forwarder's agent, which then deals with the shipping line under the master B/L.
Can I track my container with a house B/L number?
Usually you track with the container number or the forwarder's booking number, because the shipping line's system recognises the master B/L, not the house B/L.