The MSC BL workflow
MSC's BL workflow runs from draft review through amendment to final release. Three things distinguish it from other Tier 1 carriers: MSC does not publish a draft BL SLA, the BL type choice at booking is irrevocable, and pre-sailing amendments are free while post-sailing amendments carry a $75 fee in the US effective 1 February 2025.
- 01
Wait for the draft BL on myMSC
After SI submission, MSC produces a draft BL for review on the myMSC dashboard in Draft Pending Customer status. The customer can approve the draft or continue editing it up to approval.
Pain pointMSC's US T&Cs state MSC is not obligated to issue a draft. If the draft does not appear on myMSC, the escalation path is to local MSC customer service rather than waiting silently. No SLA is published for draft delivery.
- 02
Review the draft against the submitted SI
Field-by-field check: shipper, consignee, notify party details, goods description in plain language per US CBP rules, freight terms, number of originals, seal numbers in ISO 17712 format, VGM, BL type, ports of loading and discharge, and 6-digit HS code for EU, Malaysia transshipment, Turkey transshipment, or US-bound cargo.
Pain pointLC shipments require character-for-character cross-checking against LC terms. Even minor wording differences trigger bank discrepancies. This is the highest-skill step in the BL cycle.
- 03
Verify the BL type matches the booking
Confirm the document type (Original BL, Sea Waybill, or eBL) matches what was selected at booking. This field cannot be changed at the SI review or draft BL stage.
Pain pointThe BL type choice is irrevocable per MSC US T&Cs. Forwarders who need to switch between Original BL and Sea Waybill must cancel and rebook. There is no amendment path.
- 04
Submit amendments via myMSC or EDI only
Route all corrections through myMSC or EDI channels. Pre-sailing amendments submitted through digital channels are free.
Pain pointAmendments sent by email, phone, or chat trigger the Manual BL Fee of $100 USD per BL (effective 1 February 2025). Forwarders habituated to emailing documentation teams bleed fees on every amendment.
- 05
Confirm sailing status before amendment timing
Check whether the vessel has sailed. Pre-sailing amendments are free via myMSC or EDI. Post-sailing amendments cost $75 per BL in the US.
Pain pointPost-sailing amendments that also use manual channels stack both fees ($75 + $100 = $175 per BL). Ops teams that miss the pre-sailing window and default to email pay the maximum penalty.
- 06
For telex release, generate Letter of Indemnity signed by consignee
MSC Telex Release requires a Letter of Indemnity using MSC's standard wording. The consignee must acknowledge acceptance of MSC's BL terms and conditions before MSC releases the goods. US Telex Release Fee is $75 per BL.
Pain pointThe destination country must accept telex release. Costa Rica explicitly prohibits telex, eBL, and Sea Waybill. Original BL is mandatory and must be caught at booking, not at the telex stage.
- 07
For post-issuance amendments, return full set of original BLs plus Letters of Indemnity
If original BLs have been released and an amendment is needed, MSC requires all originals returned plus Letters of Indemnity from shipper and consignee on company letterhead with authorised signatures.
Pain pointCosta Rica-specific LOI must be guaranteed to 200% of commercial value plus ocean freight through a bank or MSC's insurance company. A standard LOI template does not satisfy this requirement.
- 08
Handle switch BL through standard re-issuance mechanics
MSC's switch BL path uses the standard telex release plus BL re-issuance flow. Original BLs are returned to MSC, a new SI with modified shipper/consignee details is submitted, and a new BL is issued. No dedicated channel-specific penalty structure applies.
Pain pointForwarders migrating switch BL automation from Maersk will find the risk model is different. Maersk's October 2025 North America rule imposes a $125 administration fee on top of the $175 Switch Bill fee — a $300 total penalty for using the wrong channel. MSC has no equivalent penalty, so automation logic designed around Maersk's fee-avoidance routing does not port directly.
Where MSC BL errors happen
The most common MSC BL rejection, fee, and rework triggers, based on patterns across freight forwarder ops desks.
Wrong-channel amendment triggering $100 Manual BL Fee
CommonForwarders emailing MSC documentation teams for amendments trigger the $100 Manual BL Fee per BL (effective 1 February 2025). The same change submitted through myMSC or EDI would have been free pre-sailing and $75 post-sailing. This is common because ops staff default to email out of habit.
Post-sailing amendment attempted without cost awareness
Frequent$75 per BL post-sailing amendment fee applies regardless of channel. When combined with the Manual BL Fee on non-digital channels, the total reaches $175 per BL. Ops teams that miss the pre-sailing window and default to email pay the maximum penalty.
Irrevocable BL type choice missed at booking
FrequentMSC's US T&Cs lock the choice between Original BL and Sea Waybill at booking. Forwarders who need to switch BL type after booking discover the restriction at draft review. The only resolution is cancel and rebook.
LC review window collapsed by absent draft BL SLA
CommonMSC does not publish a draft BL turnaround target and is not obligated to issue a draft before BL finalisation per US T&Cs. For LC shipments, forwarders cannot predict when to begin character-for-character cross-checking against LC terms. Late draft arrivals push amendments into the paid post-sailing window.
Telex release attempted for Costa Rica or similar restricted destinations
OccasionalCosta Rican customs prohibits telex release, eBL, and Sea Waybill. Original BL must be physically presented at destination. This must be caught at booking, not at the telex stage. Forwarders who assume telex works globally discover the restriction after the BL is issued.
Switch BL handling divergence from Maersk's penalty routing
OccasionalForwarders porting switch BL automation from Maersk will find MSC's standard re-issuance mechanics different from Maersk's October 2025 North America rule ($125 administration fee on top of $175 Switch Bill fee, $300 total penalty for using the wrong channel). MSC has no equivalent penalty structure, so automation logic designed around Maersk's fee-avoidance routing does not apply directly and may produce false-positive escalations on MSC shipments.
How Expedion agents handle MSC BLs
Expedion's AI agents automate MSC BL draft review, amendment routing, telex release workflow, and post-issuance Letters of Indemnity. Every capability below enforces an MSC-specific published rule at submission time.
Compare every field on the MSC draft BL against the submitted SI and flag discrepancies. For LC shipments, additionally cross-check against the LC terms when provided. Discrepancies are surfaced to the forwarder's reviewer with specific field-level callouts.
Route every amendment through myMSC or EDI by default to avoid the $100 Manual BL Fee. Never email MSC documentation teams. Post-sailing amendments are separately flagged with the $75 fee and routed to the forwarder's reviewer for cost-aware approval.
Actively monitor vessel ETD and surface amendment requests to the forwarder's reviewer before the vessel sails, rather than queueing passively. Pre-sailing amendments on myMSC or EDI are free; post-sailing amendments cost $75 per BL.
Refuse Original BL to Sea Waybill conversion mid-shipment per the irrevocable rule in MSC US T&Cs. Escalate any switch request to human approval; the only path is cancel and rebook.
Generate Letters of Indemnity to MSC's standard wording, filter out destinations where telex is prohibited (Costa Rica and similar), route the release request through myMSC for the origin office. Surface the $75 telex fee to the reviewer before the request is finalised.
Prepare Letters of Indemnity matching local requirements, including the Costa Rica 200% commercial value plus freight guarantee structure. Coordinate full-set OBL return with the MSC origin office and route for human approval before submission.
MSC BL details
Key reference data for ops teams handling MSC bill of lading workflow.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| BL prefix | MEDU (switched from MSCU in 2018) |
| Draft BL status on myMSC | "Draft Pending Customer" after agency processing |
| Draft BL SLA | None published (MSC not obligated to issue draft per US T&Cs) |
| Pre-sailing amendment fee | Free via myMSC or EDI |
| Post-sailing amendment fee (US) | $75/BL (effective 1 February 2025) |
| Manual BL Fee (US) | $100/BL (effective 1 February 2025) |
| Administrative Fee (US) | $110/BL (effective 1 February 2025) |
| Manifest corrector fee | Applies to post-finalisation corrections per US T&Cs |
| Switch BL handling | Standard telex release + BL re-issuance; no Maersk-equivalent penalty structure (Maersk North America imposes $125 + $175 = $300 for wrong-channel Switch BL as of October 2025) |
| Telex Release Fee (US) | $75/BL (effective 1 February 2025) |
| BL type options | Original BL, Sea Waybill (express bill of lading), eBL |
| BL type lock | Irrevocable at booking per MSC US T&Cs |
| Post-issuance requirements | Full-set OBL return plus Letters of Indemnity from shipper and consignee |
| Costa Rica LOI requirement | 200% commercial value plus freight guarantee via bank or MSC insurance company |
TMS compatibility for MSC BL
Expedion agents handle MSC BL workflow from within your existing TMS. For CargoWise users, agents read draft BL state via eAdaptor and submit amendments through myMSC or MSC EDI. For GoFreight and Magaya, agents use the respective APIs for shipment state and myMSC for carrier-side amendment submission. Full TMS compatibility details are on the MSC overview page.
Related pages
MSC carrier pages: MSC overview · Shipping instructions · Booking · Documentation · Tracking & visibility
BL across carriers: Bill of lading automation · Maersk bill of lading · CMA CGM bill of lading · Hapag-Lloyd bill of lading · ONE bill of lading · COSCO bill of lading · Evergreen bill of lading
Frequently asked questions
What are the amendment fees on MSC BL corrections?
MSC splits amendment fees by timing and channel. Pre-sailing amendments submitted through myMSC or EDI are free. Post-sailing amendments cost $75 per BL in the US (effective 1 February 2025). Amendments sent by email, phone, or chat trigger an additional $100 Manual BL Fee per BL regardless of timing. If an amendment is both post-sailing and manual, both fees stack to $175 per BL. Expedion agents route all amendments through myMSC or EDI by default and prioritise pre-sailing submission to avoid fees entirely.
What does the irrevocable BL type choice mean on MSC?
MSC's US Terms & Conditions state that the choice between Original BL and Sea Waybill at booking is irrevocable. Once the BL type is set, MSC is not obligated to issue a different document type. Forwarders who discover they need to switch must cancel and rebook. Expedion agents enforce the BL type lock at every stage and escalate any switch request to the forwarder's reviewer with the cancel-and-rebook resolution path clearly flagged.
How does Expedion handle telex release for MSC shipments to Costa Rica?
Costa Rican customs does not accept telex release, eBL, or Sea Waybill. Original BL is mandatory and must be physically presented at destination. Expedion agents filter out Costa Rica and similar restricted destinations before initiating any telex release workflow on MSC shipments. For Costa Rica-bound cargo, agents enforce Original BL selection at booking time. If a post-issuance amendment is needed, the Letter of Indemnity must be guaranteed to 200% of commercial value plus ocean freight through a bank or MSC's insurance company.
How does MSC's switch BL handling differ from Maersk's?
MSC handles switch BL through standard telex release mechanics and BL re-issuance with no additional channel-specific penalty structure. This contrasts with Maersk's October 2025 North America rule, which routes switch BL requests exclusively through a dedicated regional email and imposes a $125 administration fee on top of the $175 Switch Bill fee — a $300 total penalty for using the wrong channel. Forwarders migrating switch BL automation from Maersk to MSC should not port the Maersk penalty-avoidance routing logic.