What is a Bill of Lading?

The Bill of Lading - usually written as B/L or BOL - is the single most important document in a green coffee shipment. It does three things at once: it's a receipt confirming the goods were loaded onto the vessel, a contract of carriage between the shipper and the carrier, and a document of title. That last part is what gives it real commercial weight - whoever holds the original B/L legally controls the goods.

In practice: your importer ships a lot from Mombasa to Felixstowe. The carrier issues a Bill of Lading naming you as the consignee. Until the importer releases or transfers that document to you, they still control the coffee. Once you hold the original, you can collect it from the port.

For most roasters buying from UK importers, the B/L stays in the background - the importer handles it and you just collect from the warehouse. But if you're buying direct from an exporter or working with a freight forwarder, you'll need to understand how it moves through the chain. A missing or delayed B/L can hold up your entire shipment.