Can a Bill of Lading be amended in description of goods column?

• Who does amend Bill of Lading in description of goods column of Bill of Lading? 
• Can description of goods be amended in Bill of Lading after submitting to bank? 
• How to amend Bill of Lading after dispatch to overseas buyer?

Bill of lading is issued by carrier of goods or his agent on receipt of cargo from shipper after completion of necessary export customs formalities. Once after issuing Bill of Lading, the said document is sent to overseas buyer through the shipper’s bank. Normally, after releasing Bill of lading, the exporter sends a copy to consignee electronically, either by mail or fax.

The seller may come to know the discrepancy of description of goods in bill of lading once after releasing BL by the carrier. If the discrepancy of description of goods in Bill of lading is found before submitting documents with exporter’s bank, the amendment can be effected by submitting all originals with the freight forwarder at load port who issued BL. The freight forwarder who carries goods can amend description of goods in bill of lading, only on the basis of export shipping documents authorized by customs authorities. So, any details of addition, deletion, or correction are subjected to the declaration by exporter mentioned in shipping documents. In such cases, exporter or his customs broker need to amend description of goods in the said shipping documents with customs firstly and after completion of such amendment of description of goods in shipping bill, he can approach shipping liner(carrier) to amend of description of goods in Bill of Lading accordingly.

If an amendment of description of goods is required once after submitting original bill of lading with shipper’s bank, the overseas buyer can amend description of goods in the said original bill of lading once after receiving BL from his bank through shipper’s bank. At this time, the consignee needs to approach the shipping liner’s counter part office at consignee’s location. The carrier (shipping company) at consignee’s location needs a ‘No Objection’ letter or message to amend description of goods in bill of lading from his counter part at load port who issued Bill of Lading. In turn, the shipping company at load port confirms the details to his counterpart at destination regarding amendment of description of goods in BL. The freight forwarder at load port provides ‘no objection’ up to the extent of information available in export shipping bill submitted by exporter. If consignee needs to amend description of goods other than declared in export shipping bill, the exporter (shipper) can amend shipping bill at load port with customs and submit such amended shipping bill with shipping company , so as to enable him to send a ‘no objection’ to amend description of goods to include in bill of lading.