{"id":1779,"date":"2026-04-15T02:07:36","date_gmt":"2026-04-15T02:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hplog.webcanhcam.vn\/bill-of-lading-va-sea-waybill-hieu-dung-de-dung-dung\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T07:03:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T07:03:33","slug":"bill-of-lading-va-sea-waybill-hieu-dung-de-dung-dung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/news\/bill-of-lading-and-sea-waybill-understanding-the-difference-to-use-them-correctly\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill of Lading and Sea Waybill: Understanding the Difference to Use Them Correctly"},"content":{"rendered":"

In ocean freight, choosing the wrong document can delay cargo release, disrupt payment processes, and even lead to legal disputes.The two most common documents are the Bill of Lading (B\/L)<\/strong> and the Sea Waybill (SWB<\/strong>). They may sound similar, but their nature and functions are fundamentally different.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

1. What is a Bill of Lading (B\/L)??<\/h2>\n

A Bill of Lading (B\/L) is the most legally significant transport document in maritime shipping.<\/p>\n

Main functions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Evidence of the contract of carriage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    It shows the terms and conditions agreed between the shipper<\/strong> and the carrier<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • \u00a0Receipt of goods<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Confirms that the carrier has received the cargo for transportation.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Document of Title<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The holder of the original Bill of Lading has the right to claim the goods. Ownership can be transferred through endorsement.<\/p>\n

        Common types of Bill of Lading:<\/strong><\/p>\n

          \n
        • Negotiable Bill of Lading<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Ownership can be transferred by endorsement<\/strong>. Commonly used in L\/C payment transactions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Non-Negotiable Bill of Lading<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            The consignee is specifically named<\/strong>, and ownership cannot be transferred by endorsement<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

            2. What is a Sea Waybill?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

            A Sea Waybill (SWB) is also a sea transport document, but it is not a document of title.<\/p>\n

            It has only two main functions:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Evidence of the contract of carriage.<\/li>\n
            • Receipt of goods.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              The consignee can receive the cargo simply by proving they are the designated consignee, without presenting the original document.<\/p>\n

              3. Differences Between Bill of Lading and Sea Waybil<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
              Criteria<\/td>\nSea Waybill<\/strong><\/td>\nBill of Lading<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Transferability<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nYes (with original B\/L)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Document of title<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Original document required to claim cargo<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nYes (usually all original copies must be surrendered)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Speed of cargo release<\/td>\nFaster<\/td>\nMay be slower if the original B\/L has not yet arrived<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Suitable for L\/C payment<\/td>\nNo<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
              Level of cargo control<\/td>\nLower<\/td>\nHigher<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

              4. When Should You Use a Bill of Lading?<\/h2>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

              N\u00ean s\u1eed d\u1ee5ng B\/L khi:<\/p>\n

                \n
              • Thanh to\u00e1n b\u1eb1ng L\/C<\/li>\n
              • Giao d\u1ecbch l\u1ea7n \u0111\u1ea7u, ch\u01b0a c\u00f3 \u0111\u1ed9 tin c\u1eady cao<\/li>\n
              • C\u1ea7n ki\u1ec3m so\u00e1t quy\u1ec1n s\u1edf h\u1eefu h\u00e0ng h\u00f3a<\/li>\n
              • Mua b\u00e1n qua trung gian, c\u1ea7n chuy\u1ec3n nh\u01b0\u1ee3ng ch\u1ee9ng t\u1eeb<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                B\/L gi\u00fap ng\u01b0\u1eddi b\u00e1n ki\u1ec3m so\u00e1t h\u00e0ng cho \u0111\u1ebfn khi nh\u1eadn \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c thanh to\u00e1n.<\/p>\n

                5. When Should Bill of Lading Be Used?
                \n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                \"\"<\/p>\n

                Sea Waybill is suitable when:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • The two parties have a long-term trusted relationship<\/li>\n
                • Transactions occur between a parent company and its subsidiary<\/li>\n
                • Payment is made via T\/T in advance or after shipment<\/li>\n
                • Fast cargo release is required, without waiting for the original B\/L to be delivered<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Biggest advantage: reduces the risk of losing the original bill of lading and saves time.<\/p>\n

                  6. Risk Management Perspective.
                  \n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

                  Choosing the right document is not just a procedural matter\u2014it is a strategy for controlling cash flow and cargo ownership.<\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • If you want to control the right to claim the goods \u2192 choose a Bill of Lading.<\/li>\n
                  • If you want to optimize delivery speed \u2192 choose a Sea Waybill.<\/li>\n
                  • For L\/C payment \u2192 a Bill of Lading is almost mandatory.<\/li>\n
                  • For internal shipments or strategic partners \u2192 a Sea Waybill is more flexible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    A small decision in documentation can impact the entire supply chain.<\/strong><\/p>\n

                    Conclusion<\/h2>\n

                    Bill of Lading and Sea Waybill are both transport documents, but they differ in a key aspect:<\/p>\n

                    – B\/L controls ownership, while SWB prioritizes speed.<\/p>\n

                    – Understanding their true nature helps businesses to:<\/p>\n

                      \n
                    • Avoid disputes<\/li>\n
                    • Optimize cargo handling processes<\/li>\n
                    • Protect cash flow<\/li>\n
                    • Stay proactive in international payments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      In logistics, not all documents are the same. Choosing the right one from the beginning can save significant costs later on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                      In ocean freight, choosing the wrong document can delay cargo release, disrupt payment processes, and even lead to legal disputes.The two most common documents are the Bill of Lading (B\/L) and the Sea Waybill (SWB). They may sound similar, but their nature and functions are fundamentally different. 1. What is a Bill of Lading (B\/L)?? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1779"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1781,"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779\/revisions\/1781"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1779"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1779"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hplog.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}