A Guide to the Hamburg Rules. An Industry Report by Christof Luddeke and Andrew Johnson

Abstract

A Guide to the Hamburg Rules. An Industry Report, by Christof Luddeke and Andrew Johnson. Published by Lloyd's of London Press Ltd, London (1991, XVI and 83 pp., incl. Contents, Tables of Cases, Legislation and Rules, Appendices and Index ). Paperback £75; US$160. The United Nations Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea 1978, widely recognised as the Hamburg rules, recently received its twentieth ratification and will within twelve months be the operative legal regime governing international contract for the carriage of goods by sea in contracting states. There is not however a major commercial or maritime jurisdiction to be found in the twenty contracting states, and there must be serious doubt whether there will be. The Hamburg Rules have proved to be much more controversial than the Hague Rules and Visby Protocol, and their destiny may be to divide rather than unify. This is unfortunate and contrary to the overriding object of the international convention movement. The instant text, which describes itself as an Industry Report, a …