Logistics terms · Logistics terms
What does House vs master bill of lading mean in logistics?
Short answer
A master bill of lading (MBL) is issued by the shipping line to the forwarder or NVOCC; a house bill of lading (HBL) is issued by that forwarder or NVOCC to the actual shipper. In a consolidation, one MBL can cover many HBLs.
Indian import manifests and customs filings capture both levels. Consignees must know which document releases the cargo, because delivery orders come from the party that issued the bill they hold. Ask our desk how this applies to your consignment.
We publish no freight rates. Our desk confirms your price within minutes.
The numbers behind this answer
- Also called
- HBL, MBL, HB/L, MB/L
- Category
- EXIM & customs
- Related terms
- Bill of lading (B/L), NVOCC, Freight forwarder, LCL (less than container load)
Related questions
On this site
Need this for your own load?
Send the details to our desk. It confirms your price within minutes.