Any movement of cargo within Ukraine or abroad is accompanied by documents, namely consignment notes. These are a special type of accompanying documents, which have their own subtypes depending on the type of transport chosen: air or sea vessels, motor vehicles, or railways. A correctly completed waybill is a guarantee of unhindered border crossing, the basis for customs clearance, and the calculation of customs duties.

A contract for the carriage of cargo with a logistics company contains a waybill as an appendix to the contract. Let’s look at how waybills differ for various types of transport.

Waybills for Maritime Transport (Bill of Lading)

This type is called a bill of lading, and it must specify:

• port of departure;
• port of arrival;
• who pays the freight;
• detailed information about the cargo;
• recipient details.

A bill of lading can be direct if the entire journey of the cargo takes place on one vessel, or through if the cargo is transshipped to another vessel during delivery.

A liner bill of lading is issued by a shipping company if the route is regular.

A more complex case is the transportation of consolidated cargo. This situation is standard for a logistics company. In this case, a consolidated bill of lading is issued, which lists all cargoes belonging to different owners, and the recipient is a logistics intermediary, who then delivers the cargoes to each individual customer.

Various unforeseen situations may arise during transportation, so an insurance bill of lading is a good idea. And if the cargo is damaged, an additional document is created, which in logistics slang is called a “dirty” bill of lading.

CMR

The transport document for international road transport is called CMR. Its mandatory nature and form are stipulated by the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (Convention relative au contrat de transport international de marchandises par route). This document is completed in triplicate and signed by both parties: the sender of the cargo and the carrier.

CMR is the main document without which no commercial cargo can be transported from one country to another. The CMR consignment note specifies:

• the name of the seller and/or sender of the cargo (these may be different companies);
• the consignee (indicated in strict accordance with the contract or invoice);
• the point of loading and unloading of the cargo;
• information about the cargo, including their name, codes, hazard class, quantity, type of packaging, etc.;
• terms of payment.

The weight of the cargo together with the vehicle is also indicated, which is necessary for checks at checkpoints and customs clearance, cargo volume, and other technical features.

The motor transport waybill specifies the type of motor vehicle, its make, model, and registration number.

The form of the document is standardized and very well thought out. For example, it is possible to indicate different carriers if they change along the route. It is also possible to note any discrepancies in the quantity or condition of the cargo. This is important because the carrier is liable for damage, and the CMR serves as proof that it occurred during transport or existed prior to loading.

The CMR is not the only document required for international road transport. The following may be attached to the consignment note:

• invoice;
• insurance policy;
• customs declaration, etc.

All information in the CMR and the contract of carriage or invoice must match, otherwise it will cause problems during customs clearance of cargo.

Railway Bill

A transport bill for railway transportation is created by the sender and transferred to the carrier when loading cargo. The SMGS bill has an approved form and is a confirmation of the transportation agreement concluded between the sender and the railway company in favor of the recipient company. The content of the railway bill of lading generally corresponds to the content of the CMR and also contains information about the loading and arrival stations, the quantity, name, and weight of the cargo, the type of packaging, etc. It may have attachments in the form of a customs declaration, invoice, certificates, or insurance policy.

Air Waybill (AWB)

AWB, or air waybill, can be external or internal. External, or MAWB (Master Air Waybill), is drawn up by the airline. It contains information about all cargoes shipped on a particular flight or vessel. The MAWB number consists of 11 characters, the first three of which are the airline code, followed by the waybill number itself and a check digit.

The air waybill is issued in 3 original copies and 9 copies. The originals are intended for the shipper, the consignee, and the carrier. The reverse side of the original AWB contains the text of the contract of carriage. Copies are used at airports for customs inspection, as well as in cases where the cargo is transported in separate batches or the carrier changes en route.

The internal waybill is created by the airline agent and has its own number. It contains all the details of the cargo, the sender, and the recipient as stated on the invoice. The internal waybill relates to the cargo of a specific sender and can be attached to the external air waybill.

The correct completion of transport waybills creates the conditions for the smooth transport of cargo and their problem-free customs clearance.