A bill of lading may be provided per shipment or per container, depending on the request of the client (exporter, shipper, or freight forwarder). There is a chance to have: 3 bills of lading for a single container or 3 bills of lading for three containers The contract, purchase order, or letter of credit may specify the type of bill of lading to be issued, the number of originals/copies, and the number of bills of lading for the shipment or container.