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Parties, Roles & Instruments

Consignor / Shipper

Also known as: Shipper, Consignor

The consignor, or shipper, is the party that tenders the goods to the carrier for transport and is named as such on the bill of lading or air waybill — typically the exporter or seller, though it can be a forwarder acting on their behalf. The shipper is responsible for accurately describing the cargo, packing and marking it properly, providing correct documentation, and, for hazardous materials, certifying compliance with dangerous-goods rules. As the originating party in the transport contract, the shipper's declarations flow through the entire documentary chain, so errors at this stage ripple downstream to customs and payment.

The JFS takeLicensed customs broker · Filer 82G

The party sending the goods. Relevant to customs mainly through the manufacturer identification code and denied-party screening, both of which need an accurate name and address — the actual one, not a forwarder's.

Where it matters for compliance

  • The MID is built from the manufacturer's name and address, which is not necessarily the shipper's.

Related terms

Bill of LadingA bill of lading is the foundational document of ocean freight, issued by a carrier to a shipper, that serves three distinct functions at once: a receipt confirming the carrier has taken the described goods into its custody, evidence of the contract of carriage setting out the terms of transport, and — when issued in negotiable form — a document of title whose holder controls delivery of the cargo.Freight ForwarderA freight forwarder is a logistics intermediary that arranges the transport of goods on behalf of shippers, booking space with ocean, air, road, and rail carriers, consolidating cargo, preparing shipping and export documentation, and coordinating the many hand-offs of an international shipment.Dangerous Goods DeclarationA dangerous goods declaration is a formal document in which the shipper certifies that hazardous materials have been correctly classified, packaged, marked, labeled, and documented in accordance with the applicable international transport regulations for their mode of carriage.

Reviewed by a licensed customs broker. Definitions are general information, not legal or customs advice for a particular shipment. Duty rates, tariff programs and agency requirements change frequently.