The best source of Bill of Lading (BL) data is one that is sourced directly from customs and shipping-carrier manifests, updated regularly, covers the countries you trade with, and includes verified shipper and consignee contact details. Below is what separates a good BL data provider from a poor one.
What is Bill of Lading data?
A bill of lading is the legal document issued for every ocean shipment. It records the shipper (exporter), consignee (importer), product, HS code, volume, ports, vessel and date. Aggregated across millions of shipments, BL data becomes a searchable record of real global trade — letting you find suppliers, track competitors and size markets.
What to look for in a BL data source
- Genuine customs/manifest sourcing — not scraped directories of unverified listings.
- Country coverage — the exporting and importing countries you actually deal with.
- Field depth — shipper & consignee name, address, phone, email, HS code, volume, value, ports, vessel, container and BL number.
- History & freshness — multiple years so you can see trends and seasonality.
- Delivery format — clean Excel/CSV you can filter and import into your CRM.
How our data compares
Trade Database provides Bill of Lading data for 195+ countries, 2015–2026, with 67 fields per record including DUNS numbers, phone, email and website for both trading parties. Browse the Bill of Lading database or request a free sample before you buy.
BL data vs customs data
BL data is best for contacts and shipment tracking. Customs data adds the financial side (declared values, duties, tax IDs). Many buyers use both — see our guide on Bill of Lading vs Customs Data.
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