ABSTRACT
American disdain for the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Liner Code is rooted in the perception that it would prevent the operation of the free market system to which the United States is ideologically attached. Acceptance by the United States of the Liner Code would necessitate substantial change in the regulatory framework under which liner conferences presently operate in the United States. A basic traditional practice of liner conferenees is to attempt to commit shippers to move all their liner cargoes between the ports served by the particular conference on conference vessels. At the diplomatic conference adopting the Liner Code the states composing the European Economic Community and the western states in general were split as to the acceptability of the Code in its final form. In contemplating a course of action with respect to the UNCTAD Liner Code, officials of the United States government must consider accession to the Code subject to reservations as an important option.
