ChinaFood.info

由于我们公司的全称中有 import and export 的字样，在给客人的名片、或是书信中写作 I/E 或是 I&E。

As there are "Import and Export" in our company’s name, we usually use the abbreviation I/E or I&E on our name cards or emails.

在进口提单中的收货人中也默认上述字样，一直也没出什么问题，直到今年8月份的时候，某个船公司通知我们从美国进口的货，提单中的公司名称和我们的公司名称不符合，不给放货。

It is the same way to show as the consignee on the import BL and never a problem had occurred before until we were rejected to pick up the cargo by one ocean carrier who noticed us that our company name on BL holding our imported container from US is different from our company name on the stamp.

即他们认为"I/E"不等同于 IMPORT AND EXPORT。然后和对方磨了半天，最后请国外客人写的确认函通知船公司放货给我们才算解决。

They insisted that "I/E" was not equal to IMPORT AND EXPORT. I argued with them for a while, and finally the problem was solved by our supplier sending the carrier an official confirmation letter to let us pick up the cargo.

总结经验教训如下：

Lessons learned from this:

when you use the abbreviation, please keep the 3 original stamp B/L with full name of your company, at least one of them to be with the stamp of the carrier directly on the back of it, just in case.
if there is such a problem, ask the carrier to contact the destination office directly, do not waste time to argue with their clerk or on line. The carriers system is always complicated, usually their destination office could find out whether your company is the right consignee soon.
the most efficient way is to let the shipper contact the carrier, as they are the direct customer of the carrier, the carrier would like to listen to them.

We have been in this field for more than 10 years, and I always tell myself that I should learn something everyday. There are still more to learn from now on.

It is never too old to learn!