The Bills of Lading Act, 2025

(1) This Act may be called the Bills of Lading Act, 2025. (2) It shall come into force on such date1as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

(1) Every consignee of goodsnamed in a bill of lading and every endorsee of a bill of lading, to whom the property in the goodstherein mentioned shall pass, upon or by reason of such consignment or endorsement, shall havetransferred to and vested in him all rights of suit, and be subject to the same liabilities in respect of suchgoods as if the contract contained in the bill of lading had been made with such consignee or endorsee.

Nothing containedin this Act shall prejudice or affect--- (a) any right of stoppage in transit; or (b) any right to claim freight against the original shipper or owner; or (c) any liability of the consignee or endorsee by reason or in consequence of his being suchconsignee or endorsee, or of his receipt of the goods by reason or in consequence of suchconsignment or endorsement.

(1) Every bill of lading in the hands of a consignee or endorsee for valuable consideration,representing goods to have been shipped on board a vessel, shall be conclusive evidence of suchshipment as, against the master or other person signing the same, notwithstanding that such goods orsome part thereof may not have been so shipped: Provided that the master or other person so signing may exonerate himself in respect of suchmisrepresentation, by showing that it was caused without any default on his part, and wholly by thefraud of the shipper, or of the holder, or some person under whom the holder claims. (2) Nothing in sub-section (1) shall apply where the holder of the bill of lading shall have had actualnotice at the time of receiving such bill of lading that the goods had not been laden on board.

The Central Government may give suchdirections, as it may deem necessary, for carrying out all or any of the provisions of this Act.