Pomerene Act

The Pomerene Act is the US Federal Bills of Lading Act, originally enacted in 1916 and recodified in 1994 at 49 USC sections 80101 to 80116. It governs bills of lading issued for goods moving in US interstate or export commerce and sets the rules for negotiable (order) and non-negotiable (straight) bills, the rights of holders, and the carrier’s liability on the bill. A negotiable bill must be surrendered for delivery; a carrier delivering goods without taking up a negotiable bill is liable for misdelivery. The Act sits alongside US COGSA, which governs the carrier’s substantive liability for loss or damage on ocean carriage to or from US ports.