What each one is, how they differ and which one fits how your cargo is paid for and delivered.
All three serve to deliver the cargo at destination, but who controls the goods and what has to be presented to collect them are not the same.
Acknowledges that the carrier received or loaded the goods and is evidence of the contract of carriage. It can be negotiable and, depending on its form, allow the rights over the cargo to be transferred. It is used to claim delivery of the goods.
A non-negotiable transport document. It allows the goods to be delivered to the named consignee without presenting an original bill of lading. It speeds up release when the rights over the cargo do not need to be transferred.
Not an independent transport document, but a release procedure. It is normally issued after the original B/Ls have been surrendered to the carrier, and it authorizes delivery at destination without physically presenting them.
| B/L | Sea Waybill | Telex Release | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Transport document | Transport document | Release procedure applied to a B/L |
| Is it negotiable? | It can be | No | Not applicable: it is done on a B/L |
| Does it transfer rights over the cargo? | Yes, if negotiable | No | No: the originals have already been surrendered to the carrier |
| Must an original be presented at destination? | Normally yes | No | No |
| When is it used? | When payment depends on handing over documents, or the cargo may be sold in transit | When rights do not need to be transferred: prepayment, related companies, trusted customers | When an issued B/L needs to be released quickly and payment is settled |
A practical rule. With a sea waybill or a telex release the shipper no longer holds a document that controls the cargo, so use them only when payment is secured.
The usual choice is the original B/L: the bank or the buyer normally requires it to pay.
The sea waybill avoids sending originals and speeds up delivery to the consignee.
The telex release allows delivery without presenting the originals, once they have reached the carrier.
The carrier confirms the option on each shipment: agree on it with your freight forwarder before the document is issued.
As a freight forwarder and customs broker in Guayaquil (pages in Spanish), we issue and review the B/L / AWB together with the rest of the documentation of your operation. See also the ocean shipping terms CY, CFS and SD.
The B/L (bill of lading) can be negotiable: whoever holds the original can claim the cargo and transfer the rights over it. The sea waybill is a non-negotiable transport document that is not endorsed: the cargo is delivered to the named consignee without presenting an original.
It is a procedure to release the cargo at destination without presenting the original B/Ls. The shipper surrenders the originals to the carrier at origin, and the carrier notifies its office or agent at destination by electronic means to deliver the goods to the consignee.
No. It is not an independent transport document: it is applied to a B/L that has already been issued. It is normally requested after the originals have been surrendered to the carrier.
With a sea waybill or a telex release, yes, as long as the carrier accepts it. With a negotiable B/L, an original normally has to be presented.
When payment depends on handing over documents, the original B/L is the usual choice, because the bank or the buyer normally requires it. Check the terms of your letter of credit before deciding. The sea waybill and the telex release are used when payment is already settled.
With both, the shipper no longer holds a document that controls the cargo: the goods are delivered to the consignee without the shipper being able to hold them back. That is why they are used with prepayment, between related companies or with trusted customers.
The carrier: it issues the document and confirms whether it accepts a sea waybill or a telex release on each shipment. Agree on the option with your freight forwarder before the document is issued. Conditions and charges are set by the carrier.
We are at Jiguas 127D and Víctor Emilio Estrada, Urdesa, Guayaquil, Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00. You can also write to us at info@fecargo.com.
Terms such as B/L, AWB and telex release in the logistics glossary (in Spanish).
Tell us about your operation and we will tell you which shipping document fits — we respond the same business day.
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