A BILL OF LADING OR A MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT DOCUMENT?

 QUESTION

Dear Mr. Old Man,

Have a good day.

I have one question need your explanation as below:

It is hard for me to distinguish between Multimodal transport and B/L.

LC required port of loading Shanghai to port of discharge DUBAI.

Transport document presented place of receipt: Hangzhou.

1. Whether it is multimodal transport when only field 44A required, but no place of delivery/ final destination required.
2. In this case, whether it need on board date. If only issuing date, whether it consider as shipment date.
3. In this case, whether 1st leg is port or inland.

Pls help. Many thanks!

KT

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ANSWER

Hi,

Please note that transport documents must be examined under the article that is applicable to the conditions stated in the LC. These conditions include the type of document that IS TO BE PRESENTED (words capitalized for emphasis) and the details given with respect to the shipment of goods, e.g., those shown in fields 44A, 44E, 44F or 44A. Please also note that transport documents are not examined under the article that is applicable to the type of document that HAS BEEN PRESENTED (words capitalized for emphasis).

For example, an MT700 is issued requiring presentation of a bill of lading with field 44E showing SHANGHAI and field 44F showing DUBAI. A transport document that is presented showing as place of receipt HANGZGOU, port of loading SHANGHAI and port of discharge DUBAI will be examined under article 20 (Bill of Lading) and not article 19 (Transport Document  Covering at least Two Modes of Transport).

Please also note:

A bill of lading should be required to be presented if the LC states fields 44E (port of loading) and 44F (port of discharge) only.

A multimodal transport document should be required to be presented if the LC states fields  44A and 44B only.

A multimodal transport document should be required to be presented if the LC states any 3 fields from 44A, 44E. 44F or 44E or all of them.

Where the LC requires presentation of a multimodal transport document with 3 fields or 4 fields 44A, 44E. 44F or 44E, the transport document presented must indicate an on-board notation if the first leg of journey is by sea.

Hope my answer is helpful.

Best regards,

Mr. Old Man