A consignee is a person or entity who is the recipient of goods being transported, and is listed on the bill of lading (BOL) . The consignee is generally the owner of the shipped goods and is legally required to be present to accept the shipment. The consignee is responsible for paying the import duties and taxes levied on the freight, based on the specified Incoterms. The consignee can be an individual receiving the goods, a distribution center stocking the products, or an agent who takes ownership of importing the freight. The consignee is often confused with two other shipping parties, the shipper/exporter, who is the party that packs and prepares the goods being sent, and the notify party, who is the party that receives notifications about the shipment. However, only the consignee can claim goods from the carrier, and the title of the goods is directly related to the consignee. Every shipment must have a consignee, but having a notify party is optional. It is also the consignees role to ensure that the goods are received as agreed, and to inspect the products type, quantity, quality, and packaging before the goods leave the destination port and arrive at the buyers premises.