Liner Bill of Lading

A liner bill of lading is the transport document used in scheduled liner trades, where the carrier operates a fixed-route, fixed-schedule service and quotes freight on liner terms that include loading and discharge handling. It serves three functions: receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and document of title. Liner bills incorporate the Hague or Hague-Visby Rules through a clause paramount, fixing the carrier’s package limitation and the one-year time bar. BIMCO’s Conlinebill is the standard form. Unlike a charterparty bill, the liner bill itself usually contains the full contract terms rather than incorporating a separate charter, since the shipper books space rather than the whole ship.