Free cargo manifest template for forwarders and consolidators
A cargo manifest lists everything moving under one master bill of lading, in one container or on one flight. Forwarders and consolidators send it to their agent at destination and use it to check that the house bills of lading add up to what the carrier shows on the master. This sheet has one line per house bill of lading with totals by formula; it is not a customs filing.
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What the template covers
- Forwarder or consolidator, destination agent, manifest number and date
- Carrier, master B/L number, vessel and voyage or flight, ports of loading and discharge, ETD and ETA
- Container numbers with size and seal, for FCL or a consolidated LCL container
- One line per house B/L: number, shipper, consignee and notify party
- Marks and numbers, number of packages, description of goods and HS code where needed
- Gross weight and volume per house B/L, with totals by formula to check against the master B/L
- Freight terms (prepaid or collect) and any amount to collect at destination
- Remarks for the destination agent, and who prepared and checked the manifest
Sources
Guides on this topic
What a manifest is for
The manifest is the consolidator's summary of a shipment: under one master bill of lading or in one container there may be many house bills of lading from different shippers to different consignees. The destination agent uses it to send arrival notices, collect charges and release each house shipment, and both sides use it to reconcile packages, weights and volumes with the master bill of lading.
Check the totals before departure
The total packages, gross weight and volume of all house bills of lading should match the master bill of lading and the container load. Differences lead to amendments, delays at destination and disputes when cargo is short or over. Check each house line against its own bill of lading draft, and send the manifest to the destination agent before the vessel or flight arrives.
Customs filings are separate
Many countries require carriers, and for house shipments some forwarders, to send advance cargo information to customs electronically. In the United States, for example, the cargo declaration for vessel cargo is due 24 hours before the cargo is laden aboard the vessel at the foreign port. These filings follow each authority's own system and data format; this spreadsheet is a working document for the forwarder and its agent, not a customs filing.
Common questions
What is a cargo manifest?
A list of all shipments carried under one master bill of lading, in one container or on one vessel or flight, with each shipment's parties, packages, description, weight and volume.
What is the difference between a master and a house manifest?
The carrier's manifest lists the master bills of lading it issued, for example to forwarders; a forwarder's or consolidator's house manifest breaks a master shipment down into the house bills of lading it issued to its own customers.
Who prepares the cargo manifest?
The carrier for the vessel or flight, and the forwarder or consolidator for its consolidated shipments. This template is for the forwarder's house manifest.
Is this the same as a customs manifest filing?
No. Advance cargo information is filed electronically in each country's system and format. This sheet helps to prepare and check the data but is not a filing.
Why must the manifest totals match the master B/L?
Because the carrier, customs and the destination agent all work from the master bill of lading: if the house lines do not add up, the shipment may need amendments and can be held at destination.
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