As a contract, the bill of lading specifies that the carrier
a. is obligated to provide a transportation service in return for a certain charge.
b. receives payment from a third-party such as a bank or trading house.
c. has obtained the merchandise described on the face of the document.
d. provides a written promise of payment before releasing the merchandise.

Answer:

As a contract, the bill of lading specifies that the carrier A) is obligated to provide a transportation service in return for a certain charge.

Explanation:

The Bill of Landing refers to the document that consists of detail of all the goods in a shipment to be delivered by the transporting company or individual. In other words, it is a receipt carrying the information of each good that is to be shipped. It also acts as a contract for the carrier of the shipment, and according to this contract, the carrier is obligated to provide a transportation facility in return for a certain charge.

Therefore, alternative A is correct about the Bill of Landing.