Who Should Be Sent the Arrival Notice When Consignee and Notify Party Are Different in Bill of Lading?

To Whom Should the Arrival Notice Be Sent When the Consignee and Notify Party on the Bill of Lading Are Different?

In international trade, the bill of lading B/L is an important legal document connecting buyers, sellers, carriers, banks, and other parties. It not only records basic information about the goods but also clearly defines the rights and obligations of all parties involved. However, in actual operations, it is common for the consignee and notify party listed on the B/L to be inconsistent, which raises the question of who should receive the arrival notice.

Generally speaking, the consignee on the B/L is the party that will ultimately receive the goods, while the notify party is responsible for receiving the arrival notice from the carrier and forwarding it to the consignee. The difference between them lies in their respective roles and responsibilities. The consignee has ownership of the goods, whereas the notify party plays more of an auxiliary role. However, in certain special trading models, such as FOB terms for import transactions, the seller as the shipper may designate the notify party as the buyer's agent or freight forwarder. This arrangement means that after the goods arrive at the destination port, the notify party must promptly communicate relevant information to the actual consignee.

For example, in a case handled by an international shipping company in 2025, due to the notify party listed on the B/L not being the actual consignee, the goods could not be quickly delivered to the end user upon arrival at the destination. This situation indicates that if the responsibilities of the consignee and notify party are not clearly distinguished, delays and even economic losses may occur.

So, in such cases, to whom should the arrival notice actually be sent? The answer depends on the contract agreement and specific circumstances. From a legal perspective, Article 41 of the Rotterdam Rules stipulates that the consignee refers to the person deemed by the carrier to have the right to take delivery of the goods. This means that regardless of how the B/L is filled out, the carrier should prioritize handing over the goods to the person with legitimate rights to do so-the consignee. In the absence of any special instructions, the carrier should send the arrival notice to the address recorded on the B/L for the consignee and ensure smooth handover of the goods.

However, in practice, to improve efficiency and avoid unnecessary complications, it is recommended that buyers and sellers clearly specify their respective requirements for the arrival notice when signing contracts. For instance, they can agree that the notify party directly contacts the consignee to inform them of the status of the goods; or require the seller to provide additional contact details so that the carrier can more accurately locate the consignee. With the development of electronic bills of lading e-B/L technology, sharing information through digital platforms has become a trend. This approach not only accelerates communication but also effectively reduces problems caused by information asymmetry.

It is worth noting that although these methods help improve processes, there are still some potential risks. For example, when the B/L is transferred to a third party, there may be a lack of effective communication between the notify party and the new consignee. In such cases, carriers must handle matters carefully, respecting the original contract terms while balancing practical operational convenience.

In conclusion, although the difference between the consignee and notify party on the B/L seems simple, it actually involves complex legal relationships and commercial considerations. To address this issue, all parties need to plan ahead and maintain close collaboration to ensure smooth operation of the entire supply chain. Only by doing so can operational costs be minimized and customer satisfaction maximized.