ABSTRACT
The Rotterdam Rules (RR) is the most recent effort for a uniform and updated international carriage of goods by sea regime. Maritime carriage started being regulated at treaty level in the first place, because the global policy makers identified the need to protect cargo interests from the carriers' tendency to abuse their strong bargaining power. The laudable aim behind the RR was to update the law on maritime – and ideally multimodal – carriage and to fill the gaps of existing conventions in carriage of goods by sea, while achieving a broad consensus. The philosophy of the RR has been characterised as pragmatic. The RR are also modern and pragmatic in acknowledging new types of transport documents, mirroring their diversity and frequency in modern practices and trade. The RR seek predictability of liability for a network of parties with a primary focus on shippers, the carriers. The RR devote an important part of their provisions to transport documents.
