Promoting the use of sea waybill in maritime transport - A case study of Tema Port

The transportation of cargo from one point to the other is mainly dominated by maritime transport with respect to international trade. While the carriage of goods to shipper’s designated port is undertaken by the carrier, the terms and conditions of carriage are determined by the covering transport document which can be the negotiable bill of lading, non-negotiable sea waybill or any globally recognized transport document. This study assessed the challenges attached to using the negotiable bill of lading in maritime transport, aiming at promoting the use of sea waybill. Using Tema Port as a case study, information on the sea waybill were obtained through questionnaires and interviews from a purposive sample size. The functions of the sea waybill were explained whereas the conditions mostly preferable for the use of sea waybill were also analyzed. As reason why this non-negotiable transport document should be promoted, the benefits of covering shipment under sea waybill were stated of which includes elimination of document delay, removal of documentary fraud, less document preparation and transportation cost, and automatically subject to CMI Uniform Rules for Sea Waybills and The Hamburg Rules. To further boost the user base, the researcher provided recommendations such as public awareness or education on sea waybill, appreciate the advantages of sea waybill and encourage the use of this non-negotiable document, as well as adopting and developing legislation making possible the replacement of bill of lading with sea waybill in certain trades. The successful implementation of these recommendation will serve as a platform for boosting the use of this non-negotiable transport document in maritime transport.