Free shipping instruction (SI) template

Send this to your forwarder or carrier after booking so the bill of lading is issued exactly as you need it. Totals for packages, weights and CBM are calculated for you.

What the template covers

Shipper, consignee and notify party as they should appear on the B/L
Booking number, ports of loading and discharge, place of delivery, vessel and ETD
Freight prepaid or collect, B/L type (original, surrender or sea waybill) and number of originals
FCL or LCL with container type and quantity
Marks, description, HS code, packages, gross and net weight and CBM, with totals
Special instructions and the documents attached

Download .xlsx All free templates →

Guides on this topic

Bill of Lading Draft Check: SI, VGM, UCP 600, US ISF and EU ICS2Check a B/L draft before issue: parties, ports, goods, marks, weights, freight terms, on-board date, UCP 600 credit rules, US manifest and ISF, EU…Consignee vs notify party, and 'to order' bills of lading explainedWho to name as consignee and notify party on a bill of lading, straight vs 'to order' bills, which one needs endorsement, why the notify party has…Packing List Meaning and Format: What an Export Packing List Must Include and MatchWhat an export packing list shows, how it must match the commercial invoice, bill of lading and VGM, and how customs, carriers and banks under UCP…Bill of Lading Meaning: Original B/L 3/3 vs Telex Release vs Sea Waybill, Which Is Safe?Original B/L 3/3, telex release (surrendered B/L), sea waybill, house vs master and straight vs to order bills, and which is safe on T/T, copy…

What a shipping instruction is

A shipping instruction (SI) tells the forwarder or carrier how to prepare the bill of lading and handle the cargo. The carrier copies the parties, description and marks from it, so a mistake in the SI becomes a mistake in the B/L, and correcting a B/L after it is issued usually costs a fee.

How to fill it in

Copy the parties exactly from the sales contract or the letter of credit. Under an L/C, the consignee and notify party must follow the credit (often TO ORDER OF the issuing bank). Make the description, packages and weights match the commercial invoice and packing list, and state whether freight is prepaid or collect according to the Incoterms rule.

Common mistakes

A consignee written differently from the L/C, a gross weight that does not match the packing list, a missing HS code where the carrier or destination requires one, and asking for a telex release or sea waybill too late. Send the SI before the carrier's documentation cut-off.

Common questions

When do I send the shipping instruction?

After the booking is confirmed and before the carrier's SI (documentation) cut-off, which is usually one to three days before the vessel's cut-off. A late SI can miss the vessel or incur a late fee.

Who fills in the SI, the exporter or the forwarder?

The exporter (shipper) provides it, because only the shipper knows the parties, the goods and the B/L requirements. Forwarders often send their own form; this template has the same information, so you can copy it across.

Should the SI show prices?

No. The SI and the bill of lading describe the goods, packages, weights and volume. Prices belong on the commercial invoice.

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