Booking data drives the document workflow. Shipping instructions, document versions and release states remain associated with the shipment. Retention follows the type of record and the legal role attached to it.
The bill of lading from booking data to release
The House Bill of Lading is drafted from the booking data, verified against the shipping instructions and released from the shipment record.
Shipper, consignee, notify party, cargo description, container and seal numbers come from the booking and the shipping instructions. The draft is checked against the carrier's master bill, corrected and issued. Draft, final and released versions are kept in sequence with the time and the person who approved each one. Release is recorded as an event on the shipment, and the document stays retrievable under the retention rule for its type.
U.S. export and customs rules set record-retention periods by document type and transaction role. 15 CFR 30.10 requires parties to a U.S. export transaction to retain export-shipment records for five years from the date of export. 19 CFR 163.4 requires Customs records to be kept for five years, subject to listed exceptions. For NVOCCs using the NRA exemption, 46 CFR 532.7 requires original NRAs to be retained for five years from completion of performance. Because the periods differ by record and by role, Skypace assigns retention by document type on the shipment.
SOURCES • 15 CFR 30.10; 19 CFR 163.4; 46 CFR 532.7.
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The HBL is issued by the NVOCC to its customer for the applicable shipment. The MBL is issued by the ocean carrier to its contracting party.
