ICC Digital Library Forum

Dear colleagues, I appreciate your comments on the following question:
L/C requires presentation of full set of marine clean on board Bills of Lading plus one non-negotiable copy.
Should this n-n copy be signed and dated?
As UCP contains no special rules for this document I would like to know your opinions.
Thank you in advance

Non-negotiable copies are expected to mirror the original bills of lading. They might be photocopies of the original bills of lading presented under the L/C or simply copies that are marked non-negotiable and not original of course. The carrier will sign the original only and non–negotiable copies are not necessarily to be signed to be accepted. The signature on the NN copy will only be the copy of the original signature on the B/L only.

I agree with Hatem. The NN negotiable copies need not be signed. From experience, we have seen non-negotiable copies just initialed, or without signatures.

Shipping companies or their agents do not sign non-negotiable copies. They only sign the originals. For more information, please refer to R364 from the Opinions of the ICC Banking Commission.

Although there is no requirement to sign copy bills of lading, copies are acceptable whether or not signed, so long as it is clear that they are copies.

I suspect that this goes back to the long established practice (before computers) of preparing b/l by writing or typing the original with a carbonated copy behind it. The original when signed would thus generate a carbonated signature on the copy. If a B/L is marked "copy", even an original signature does not alter its status.

Laurence