Logistics Terms
House Bill vs Master Bill of Lading: The Difference
4 min read
When a freight forwarder is involved, a shipment often has two bills of lading: a Master Bill (MBL) and a House Bill (HBL). They describe the same cargo but are issued by different parties to different parties.
Master Bill (MBL)
The Master Bill is issued by the ocean carrier (the shipping line) to the freight forwarder or its agent. It reflects the contract between the carrier and the forwarder.
House Bill (HBL)
The House Bill is issued by the freight forwarder to the actual shipper, naming the real exporter and importer. The customer usually deals with the HBL while the MBL operates behind the scenes between forwarder and carrier.