A notify party is the person or company listed on a bill of lading or transport document to be informed when a shipment arrives at destination. The notify party may be the consignee, customs broker, freight forwarder, warehouse, buyer, or another logistics contact responsible for coordinating clearance and delivery. Being named as notify party does not automatically give ownership of the cargo; it mainly ensures the right operational contact receives arrival notices and shipment updates.
- Does not automatically have title to the goods (unlike the consignee on a straight B/L)
- On a negotiable B/L, the notify party is often the bank in a letter of credit transaction
- The notify party receives the arrival notice from the carrier
- Errors in the notify party address cause arrival notices to be sent to the wrong party, risking demurrage
Always provide the full name, address, and contact information for the notify party when completing shipping instructions.
