Sea Waybill

Non-negotiable ocean bill. Cargo is released to the named consignee without presenting the document. Faster and safer than a B/L for non-LC transactions.

The document is typically sent alongside the commercial invoice, packing list and, where relevant, origin / preference documents. For cross-border traffic, customs and security authorities require prior electronic data transmission (e.g. ICS2).

Common required fields are shipper, consignee, goods description, value, Incoterm, HS code and country of origin. In document-based payment (L/C), formal discrepancies are the most frequent reason for refusal.

Issuer: Carrier. Most documents are produced electronically in practice (EDI, eAWB, eB/L pilots such as BIMCO and DCSA). For high-value shipments the original still matters, particularly in banking-channel transactions.