Consignee meaning

In legal practice, a consignee is the person or entity named to take delivery of goods under a contract of carriage or trade documentation (for example a bill of lading, sea/air/road/rail waybill, delivery order or customs entry). The term is descriptive and used across shipping, logistics and customs contexts, but it is also used or defined in specific instruments, such as the UK Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1992 (in relation to sea waybills), the CMR Convention (road) and the Montreal Convention (air). Key features: - The consignee is the party entitled to delivery, but need not be the owner of the goods. - Identification normally follows the transport document; for bills of lading, the original may need to be produced to obtain delivery. - Consignees may acquire rights of suit against the carrier and may incur liabilities (for example freight or other carriage charges, customs duties, storage or demurrage) when taking delivery or exercising rights. - A consignee is distinct from the consignor (shipper) and from a “notify party”. Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, though precise rights and obligations depend on the governing statute, convention, contract terms and mode of transport.