Have you ever wondered why air waybill is written ‘non-negotiable?’ This is because air waybill is not a document of title to the goods. An air waybill is simply a consignment note or an evidence of carriage contract. Hence, it is the receipt of such contract issued by the international airline. There are certain compulsory parts of the air waybill that the Nigerian Customs lookout for, to allow cargo clearance. This article will highlight such essential components.
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AIR WAYBILL ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS:
- Air Waybill Number: state e.g. 574-32280076
- Place and Date of Issuance: SHEN ZHEN/ 24 Jan 2018 for instance
- Export Reference: state as applicable otherwise ignore
- Consignor’s Name and Address: METALOG INTERNATIONAL DMCC PO BOX 634330, FORTUNE EXECUTIVE TOWER UNIT NO.307 CLUSTER TJUMEIRAH LAKE TOWERS DUBAI,UAE for example
- Importer or Consignee’s Name and Address: Vagmon Integrated Services NPA Port Harcourt Nigeria for example
- Issued by: state the airline. E.g. Allied Air Cargo Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos
- Issuing Carrier’s Agent Name and City: Cargo Holland BV Hoeksteen 149 2132 MX Hoofddorp for example.
- Agent’s IATA Code: state
- Place of Arrival: Nigeria for instance
- Destination Airport: Port Harcourt Airport for example
- Description of Packages and Goods: is best to copy and paste the general description stated in the form m and repeated in the commercial invoice, to avoid occupying much space and ensure no discrepancy in different documents, which would delay cargo clearance with the Nigerian Customs.
- Quantity: state 10 PKGS for example
- Gross Weight: in KGS. You must ensure that this tallies with the commercial invoice(s)
- Measurement: in CBM or M SQR or any other
- Signature of Carrier:
- Signature of Shipper or His Agent:
- Dates of Departure and Arrival: state date of departure and expected arrival date (ETA)
- Form M Detail: MF/BA numbers
- Tare: state or leave
- Signature of Consignee: once received from the exporter, the consignee could counter sign before submitting to customs by the clearing vendor. This is not compulsory.
- Accounting Information: state or say ‘as agreed’ depending on the arrangement
- Exchange Rate: not compulsory.
In Conclusion:
The air waybill is presented along with other documents to the Nigerian Customs for cargo clearance. Therefore, the air waybill must meet the minimum requirements outlined above. In my next article, I will be writing about the bill of lading.
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