Dear readers, I had a question from one of the readers of this blog regarding the issue of Sailing Date vs Shipped on Board Date, as below.. Would invite comments from all of you regarding same..
Please can I have your opinion on the below matter
For container shipments – Most Lines will date the bill of lading / shipped on board date as the sailing date – even if the containers are laden on board prior to that.
Case in question – the containers all 115 of them were loaded on board the vessel on the 8, 9 and 10th Feb.. the vessel sailed only the 11th Feb due to the port being wind bound
As the LC on hand has a LSD of the 10th Feb the b/l dated 11th would deem as a discrepancy – the Line in this case although the containers were on board will not date the bill of lading
“laden on Board the 10th” as their systems do not allow it ..
I have this issue often – the delay is due to lines schedules not being very accurate and consistently move out due to a host of reasons as there are in African Ports.
I am trying to prove to the line in terms of whatever law there might be that they are obligated to give me a shipped on board notation as the sailing date might even be a week later
I would appreciate any info you might be able to provide to substantiate this
Please also read
- https://www.shippingandfreightresource.com/2012/05/16/should-the-shipped-on-board-date-and-bill-of-lading-date-be-the-same/
- https://www.shippingandfreightresource.com/2012/08/01/clean-on-board-or-shipped-on-board-what-should-a-bill-of-lading-show/
- https://www.shippingandfreightresource.com/2012/03/07/why-wont-a-shipping-line-pre-date-or-back-date-my-bill-of-lading/
- https://www.shippingandfreightresource.com/2009/06/10/parts-of-a-bill-of-lading-part-4/
If the vessel anchored on port 22 June As per LC latest date of shipment is 15 June. Shipper get charter party BL prior date of vessel anchored on port.ie 15 June . It is possible to issue pre dated shipped on board bl before vessel anchored???
Completely agree what David has mentioned here, however putting forward a possible way of handling this issue. I don’t know if you may agree with me. Assuming vessel berthed on say, 8th and sailed on 10th. Shipped on board date required as per LC is 8th. What could be the potential threat if mention shipped on board dated 8th and print Bill of Lading only on 10th after vessel has sailed. By doing so, I feel you have not violated the norms and at the same time helped your customer meet his LC condition. Any comments are welcomed
Greetings! Very useful advice within this article!
It is the little changes which will make the largest changes.
Many thanks for sharing!
first of all you must understand the terms received for shipment, laden on board and shipped(sailed) on board. received for shipment and shipped on board can be mentioned on BL and it will be accepted by banks if the L/C accepts so. laden on board is for liner’s record and bank’s will not accept it. they demand only shipped on board. so client has to amend the L/C stating the reason for sailing delay.
Prakash Nair says, “as an addendum to my earlier post … If the containers were in fact on-board the ship on the said date ( 8,9 and 10th), notwithstanding the Actual Time of Unberthing, you can demand a SOB Bill of lading on the basis of the actual loading dates of your boxes. The shipping lines are obliged to issue a document based on facts.”
This is very enlightening, but Prakash, please state the authority upon which you base this opinions. . . . and to all other responders, please don’t only give your “opinions” . . . state the basis of your opinion, or your opinion is worth nothing. Sorry to be so blunt, but in my business (apart from my logistics company), we always quote the basis of our opinion. So far, in this forum, nobody has stated any authority for their position.
as an addendum to my earlier post … If the containers were in fact on-board the ship on the said date ( 8,9 and 10th), notwithstanding the Actual Time of Unberthing, you can demand a SOB Bill of lading on the basis of the actual loading dates of your boxes. The shipping lines are obliged to issue a document based on facts.
A shipped on board date is the date on which the container is physically passed over the rails and deposited on board the ship. On the contrary, a sailing date is the date on which the ship sailed ( abbrevated as ATB, Atual Time of Unberthing).
When containers are loaded on board the ship on 10th Feb , a Shipped on Board date BL can be given by line for 10th Feb. The sailing date can be 11th Feb. However many shipping lines do not allow their agents to oblige the customer. Talk to higher -ups in shipping line for a solution. As this situation is beyond your control you can ask customer for amendment considering relations. In case you are looking for a solution, write with details at anantsharma1@gmail.com
May be it can be solved by using HBL.
Hi SB, how would you solve it using HBL, pls can you elaborate for the benefit of all.. Thanks..
shipped on board date is the date when good/container loaded vessel and vesse sailing date is the when vessel begun her journey.
so if the good loaded on 14 feb then ship on would be 14 feb and if vessel stoped for 2 days at port then sailed so the vesse sailing date would be 16th feb
This may be a matter of the tail wagging the dog. Since this issue exists and can be reasonbaly anticipated, why not work it from the other end and in the future alter the terms of the L/C so as not to put the shipping line in this kind of bind . . . It is not the shipping line’s problem, it is a problem with the purchase and sale agreement and the terms of the L/C.
If the vessel is berthed on 15th November and after loading goods departs on 19th Nov. but my Lc shows latest shipment date as 16th November. However seller gets BL back dated on 16th November. Can I find out that he got back dated BL by tracking the vessel details and prove the BL as discrepant under UCP 600.