through bill of lading (B/L)

B/L issued for containerized door-to-door shipments that have to use different ships and/or different means of transportation (aircraft, railcars, ships, trucks, etc.) from origin to destination. Unlike in case of a multimodal Bill Of Lading, the principal carrier or the freight- forwarder (who issued the through B/L) is liable under a contract of carriage only for its own phase of the journey, and acts as an agent for the carriers executing the other phases.