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Here we will not concern ourselves with LCs which require the transport document to be consigned to order or to order of a bank. In these, we will equate “notify party” with “consignee”.

When the destination place is a terminal and the buyer is to collect the goods, then they will require a transport document showing them as the consignee/notify party.

But when the destination place is beyond the terminal and the seller’s carrier needs to take hold of the goods at that terminal then in some circumstances, for example, a container bill of lading or multimodal transport document, an air waybill and a railway consignment note will be issued by that carrier for transport only to the terminal.

The seller’s forwarder or agent will then need to take hold of the goods from that terminal and may well need to present a transport document showing the seller as the consignee/notify party entitled to receive the goods there. The forwarder will then transport the goods to the buyer’s premises, possibly issuing the seller a house B/L or AWB to cover the door-to-door shipment or a separate transport document. Whatever it is, the buyer doesn’t care.

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