Welcome To The Rotterdam Rules - Will ´The Sky Fall In´?

Love them or loathe them, the Rotterdam Rules relating to sea carrier liability are now on their way. Following original drafting work undertaken by the Comite Maritime International (CMI), in 2009 a Working Group set up by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) finalised the terms of a new international convention formally known as the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea 2009 (Convention).

The new Convention is now known as the Rotterdam Rules (Rules).

Since the 23 September 2009 signing ceremony in Rotterdam, 19 countries have signed the Convention and only one more signature is needed for the Rules to take effect one year later.