| name | bill-of-lading |
| title | Bill of Lading |
| description | Drafts a U.S. ocean Bill of Lading (B/L) functioning as receipt, contract of carriage, and document of title under COGSA or Hague-Visby. Covers negotiable and straight B/Ls, cargo description, freight allocation, and core carriage clauses. Use when drafting or reviewing a bill of lading, master/house B/L, ocean shipment documentation, or title transfer. Trigger keywords: bill of lading, B/L, ocean carriage, COGSA, Hague-Visby, negotiable, straight, master bill, house bill. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/bill-of-lading |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | maritime |
| language | en |
| tags | ["agreement","drafting","regulatory"] |
Bill of Lading
Produces a complete B/L that memorializes shipment, allocates risk, and complies with the governing carriage regime. Populate every field from source documents only — never invent data.
Prerequisites
- Parties — shipper, consignee, notify party legal names, addresses, contacts
- Booking & voyage — booking confirmation, vessel/voyage, ports, delivery terms
- Cargo details — packing list, commercial invoice, marks/numbers, weights, measurements
- Commercial terms — Incoterms, freight payment (prepaid/collect), currency, charges
- Special requirements — insurance/declared value instructions, special handling, hazmat data (UN number, IMDG class) if applicable
Output Structure
1) Document Header
| Field | Req | Notes |
|---|
| B/L Number | Yes | Unique identifier |
| B/L Type | Yes | Negotiable or Straight (Non-negotiable) |
| Issue Place/Date | Yes | City, country, date |
| Carrier / Shipper / Consignee | Yes | Legal name and address each |
| Notify Party | Opt | If applicable |
| Vessel/Voyage / Booking No. | Opt | If known |
| Container/Seal Nos. | Opt | If applicable |
2) Shipment Routing
| Field | Req | Notes |
|---|
| Place of Receipt | Yes | Terminal or facility |
| Port of Loading / Discharge | Yes | Port code if available |
| Place of Delivery | Yes | Final destination |
| Transshipment | Opt | Intermediate ports |
3) Cargo Description
| Field | Req | Notes |
|---|
| Description of Goods | Yes | Trade description; do not speculate |
