Multimodal Bill of Lading

Definition

Multimodal Bill of Lading. It is the bill of lading covering shipment of products by more than one mode of transportation but including a sea leg. The two major forms of multimodal bill of lading are the combined transport bill of lading and the through bill of lading. In a combined transport bill of lading, the carrier signing the bill of lading (the contractual carrier) frequently subcontracts the various legs to other carri ers (the actual carriers). It still takes responsibility for the delivery of the products to the place of delivery and for any damage that might occur during the transportation. In a through bill of lading, the carrier takes responsibility for the products only up to a specified point (still called the place of delivery) and passes responsibility to a second carrier for the transportation to the final destination.