Although "bills of lading" were in general use by the 16th century, these bills were merely an appendage of the charter party and contract of carriage until the mid- to latter part of the 18th century. See Kozolchyk, Evolution and Present State Of The Ocean Bill of Lading From a Banking Law Perspective, § 3, 3.2, The Sea Waybill and the Straight Bill of Lading, 23 J. Mar. L. & Com. 215 (Apr. 1992).

At that point, however, the ocean bill of lading was finally recognized as document of title and negotiable instrument. The recognition of the bill of lading as a negotiable document enabled sellers to ensure collection of the purchase price from the buyer by sending the original bill lading to a bank in or near the destination for collection of the purchase price. Upon payment of the purchase price, the bank would endorse the original bill of lading and provide it to the buyer, who could then present the bill to the carrier to collect his goods. See BII Finance Co. v. U-States Forwarding Servs. Corp., 95 Cal. App. 4th 111, 118-119, 115 Cal. Rptr. 2d 312, 317 (2d Dist. 2002)... The use of terminology with respect to ocean bills of lading confusing. Depending upon the country, law, treaty, or context, a negotiable ocean bill of lading can be referred to as an "Ocean Bill of Lading," a "Marine Bill of Lading," or an "Order Bill of Lading." Non-negotiable ocean bills of lading are sometimes referred to as a "Sea Waybills," and sometimes as a "straight" ocean bills of lading. http://www.johnmdaley.com/ocean-bills-of-lading.html
1388, octubre 15. Valencia.
Escritura de flete de diversas mercancias desde el puerto de Valencia con destino a Flandes.
ARV, Protocolos, 2797, f. 150v.
La expansión del comercio internacional durante la baja edad media estuvo acompañado de un desarrollo de las técnicas comerciales (en los fletes, en los contratos asociativos entre mercaderes y compañías comerciales, en las finanzas y en la banca, la aparición de las letras de cambio, de los seguros marítimos, de las lonjas de mercaderes). Este documento recoge un reconocimiento de flete, mediante el cual Martí Dezllor, mercader de Mallorca, fleta la nave llamada Santa María de la Coruña, patroneada por Joan Pérez, de La Coruña, para navegar desde el puerto de Valencia a Flandes. Acepta un cargamento de Joan Suau y Nicolau Pujades, mercaderes de Valencia, constituido por diversas cantidades de jabón, comino, azafrán, almendras y arroz, embaladas en cajas, costales y balas. Cada mercancía va marcada con una señal diferente, cuyo dibujo se reproduce en la escritua notarial. Esta marca comercial permitía, en caso de naufragio, pérdida o robo, identificar la mercancía y poder ser reclamada y recuperada por su propietario legítimo. http://dglab.cult.gva.es/ArxiuRegne/I_Diversos2.htm