Are Shippers Load Stow and Count and Said to Contain – different..??
Both these clauses are used in container shipping :
- Shippers Load, Stow and Count (SLAC) = The cargo was Loaded – packed into the container by the shipper, Stowed – stacked in a specific order by the shipper, Counted – number of packages counted by the shipper and that the carrier has not checked or verified the same..
- Said to Contain (STC) = The carrier is endorsing that the cargo description on the bill of lading has been provided by the shipper and has not been verified or checked by them and therefore they are accepting the container that is “Said to Contain” XYZ cargo as advised by the shipper..
So the difference here is that the SLAC relates more to the quantity of the cargo and how it has been packed in the container and STC relates to the cargo itself..
Hi Hariesh,
Could you please explain why most of the Charterers/ Shippers do NOT accept to delete the “Clean onboard” remark from the B/L?
Assume that has to do with the opening of LC, however this may create issues to the carrier, especially for oil cargoes, since as a carrier you do not know what you actually load by using a “closed type loading system”.
Dear Hariesh,
Can you explain why most of the carrier are not accepting “STC” in B/L??
Hello Rajamanickam, are you talking about container shipments..?? If so, I don’t think any carrier would not accept it.. It is in their interest that this clause is there on the FCL bills of lading..
Are you talking about the abbreviated form STC or the elaborated form Said To Contain..?? Find it unusual.. Which shipping lines..??
Hi Hariesh
If SLAC is given on Shipping instruction but we are creating Bill of Lading and that time we updated STC as well as SLAC also (E.g STC SLAC spare parts), in that case it will changes meaning ? if yes then this case what should be updated ?
Pankaj, as mentioned in my article, SLAC and STC are different and lines may decide to use both on the bill of lading.. They generally do..
SLAC relates more to the quantity of the cargo and how it has been packed in the container and STC relates to what the cargo is being declared as..
In an EXW pickup where the forwarder is nominated by consignee…FCL(house stuffed) , who would be responsible for actual loading of the goods? I was thinking that the actual loading is done by the shipper themselves.
In such cases, if consignee reports shortage of packages., who will be responsible? The shipper or the forwarder?
Hi Hareish,
thanks a lot for the great answer.
This story is going on today. Unfortunately, the containers have already reached a POD in Algeria. Our customer sent us an e-mail:
“The BL cannot be accepted by Algerian Customs, we should arrange this error.
Please contact you forwarder to do a “Manifest Corrector” and inform the CMA CGM agency of Oran to do the rectification.”
The main task for us now is to sort out this problem. As you have told, the Liner had sent a draft, but not to us, then to our bank. The bank is very strictly, that’s why there is an agreement, that a Liner sends drafts to the bank for approval and confirmation.
But independent of that, the quantity of packages our freight forwarder ( we don’t have any direct relations to the Liner) has got from us per e-mail. And this quantity (166) was definitely wrong. Together with this quantity, the forwarder has got from us an Invoice (170), Packing List (170) and Customs Declaration (170).
Our forwarder has prepared the details for the B/L ( based only on our information per e-mail 166) and sent them to the Liner. Nobody has noticed the difference between the B/L (166) and Customs Declaration (170), Invoice (170), Packing List (170). Neither both banks nor forwarder, Liner and us! But the Algerian customs HAS!!!
And now the containers are staying in POD and waiting until we can solve this problem. Our forwarder is in contact with the Liner, but I still don’t know whether they get some solution.
Right today we got a message from our customer in Algeria, that the quantity of packages, shown on B/L (166) and in Invoce (170) and in Packing List (170) are different!!! The consignment was loaded by us into 2 x 40′ Containers. A Liner got the container loaded and seald and issued us the B/L after the container have been shipped on board. The L/C is involved, but our bank ( negotiating bank)has definitely overseen this discrepancy. Which consequence arrise for us (as a shipper) with this discrepancy? Thanks a lot for everybody who answers.
Hi Oleg, if this is an FCL container and the bill of lading was issued as per the bill of lading details provided by you to the shipping line, then the shipping line is not responsible.. “Usually” the shipping lines/agents send out bill of lading drafts to customers to confirm before the final bill is issued.. The consequence of this discrepancy will depend on the customs at the port of discharge when these docs are submitted for clearance.. If the cargo has not yet reached destination, then you can get the shipping line to issue a manifest corrector which will be accepted by customs..
thank you very much for explaining the different which would be confused in international business.