Endorsing of Bills of Lading - 1/05/2006

We would like to remind customers of the requirement for import Bills of Lading to be correctly endorsed.



Shipping Lines will accept the following means of endorsement:



1) For B/L'S consigned to a company:

a) The company stamp or seal of the consignee named on the B/L on the reverse side of the same B/L; or

b) A facsimile (on company letterhead) from the consignee named on the Bill of Lading, using the words " We hereby endorse b/l number XXX and authorise release to our appointed agent Mainfreight Owens International or

c) A one-off letter may be lodged by the consignee named on the B/L using the words "We hereby appoint Mainfreight Owens International to endorse B/L'S consigned to our company on our behalf". In this circumstance Mainfreight Owens International must endorse the particular Bill with a company stamp.



2) For B/L'S consigned to a Person:

a) The person named as consignee on the B/L is to sign the reverse side of the B/L, and he (or Mainfreight Owens International as his agent) is to present one form of ID which bears the same signature, eg: drivers licence.

b) The person named as consignee on the B/L may write a letter appointing Mainfreight Owens International as their agent to act on his or her behalf. Attached to this letter would need to be a copy of one form of ID bearing the same signature as appears on the letter. In this circumstance Mainfreight Owens International may endorse the B/L on behalf of the person.



3) For B/L'S consigned To Order, or To Order of Shipper:

The shipper must endorse the B/L by placing either a company stamp or seal on the reverse side of the B/L. We would urge you to check the endorsement on "To Order" consigned B/L'S as soon as they are received in your office from the shipper. If a typed or handwritten endorsement has been made by the shipper we would ask you to phone our office in advance so that we can contact the overseas port for approval to release.

We will not accept endorsements which appear to have been typed or handwritten.



We have every desire to see your cargo delivered promptly and hope these guidelines will assist you in avoiding any delays when clearing your cargo.