A consignee in shipping is the recipient of the goods being shipped. They are listed on the bill of lading (BOL) and are generally the owner of the shipped goods. The consignee can be an individual or a company, and they could also be the agent nominated by the buyer or even the buyer’s bank. The consignee is legally required to be physically present to collect the shipment unless otherwise instructed. When shipping internationally, the consignee is the importer of record. It is important to note that shipments destined for a third-party logistics (3PL) company would not list the 3PL as the consignee, as the ultimate owner of the product is the consignee. The consignee is often confused with two other shipping parties: the shipper/exporter and the trader or indenting agent who brokered the deal or the shipment.