document which evidences a contract of the carriage and the taking over or loading of the goods by the carrier, and by which the carrier undertakes to deliver the goods against surrender of the document

NOTE A provision in the document that the goods are to be delivered to the order of a named person, or to order, or to bearer, constitutes such an undertaking. The document has the following functions: — a receipt for goods, signed by a duly authorised person on behalf of the carriers; — a document of title to the goods described therein; — evidence of the terms and conditions of carriage agreed upon between the two parties.