HBL / MBL
House B/L vs Master B/L · House Bill of Lading and Master Bill of Lading
A Master B/L (MBL) is issued by the shipping line to the freight forwarder. A House B/L (HBL) is issued by the forwarder to the real shipper of the goods.
In plain words
When you ship through a freight forwarder, there are often two Bills of Lading. The shipping line issues the MBL. On the MBL, the forwarder is the shipper, and the forwarder's agent at destination is the consignee. The forwarder then issues an HBL to you. On the HBL, you are the shipper, and your buyer is the consignee.
In LCL (groupage), the forwarder puts cargo from many shippers into one container. There is one MBL for the container and one HBL for each shipper. At destination, the forwarder's agent uses the MBL to collect the container from the shipping line. Each consignee then presents its HBL to the agent to collect its goods.
Example from real shipping
Five exporters in Istanbul send small loads to Hamburg in one LCL container. The shipping line issues one MBL to the forwarder. The forwarder issues five HBLs, one for each exporter. In Hamburg, the agent collects the container with the MBL, unpacks it, and releases each load when its consignee presents the HBL.
Related terms
- B/LA Bill of Lading (B/L) is the main document for sea freight. The carrier issues it when it takes the goods. It shows who can collect the goods at the destination.
- LCLLCL means your cargo shares a container with cargo from other shippers. You pay only for the space your goods use.
- FBLThe FBL is a standard Bill of Lading created by FIATA, the international federation of freight forwarders. A freight forwarder issues it, and it can cover a journey with more than one mode of transport.
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Request a QuoteThis glossary is general information, not legal or customs advice. Rules, fees, and practice can differ by carrier, port, and country.