International Legal Committee News

A new United Nations convention on carriage contracts (“Rotterdam Rules”) will impact the liability of marine terminal operators when it comes into force, according to TT Club. The UNCITRAL “Draft convention on contracts for the international carriage of goods wholly or partly by sea”, now known as the Rotterdam Rules, has been submitted on 20 October 2008 to the International Legal Committee of the United Nations General Assembly. It is near certain that the Rotterdam Rules will be approved by the United Nations. However, a signing ceremony is scheduled for September 2009, and the Rotterdam Rules would enter into force one year after signature by the 20th United Nations Member State.