Lading

Lading refers to the cargo or freight that a vessel, truck, or other carrier is transporting — the goods loaded for shipment. The term is most commonly encountered in the phrase “bill of lading” (BOL), which is the primary shipping document issued by a carrier describing the lading it has received and agreed to transport. A bill of lading is simultaneously a receipt for the lading, a contract of carriage, and (when negotiable) a document of title for the goods.

The word lading derives from the Old English “hladan” (to load) and has been used in maritime commerce since the 15th century. In modern usage, “lading” alone is rarely used without “bill of” preceding it — the standalone term appears primarily in legal and regulatory contexts referencing the Carmack Amendment (which governs carrier liability for loss of lading in domestic U.S. transportation) and in maritime law.