Glossary term
Consignee
The party named to receive the goods at destination.
The party to whom the goods are to be delivered, as named on the transport document.
Consignee is not the same as owner. On a negotiable bill of lading consigned "to order", the goods go to whoever lawfully holds the endorsed document, which is often a bank rather than the buyer. Naming a bank as consignee without its agreement is a recognised way to create a problem at destination.