Carrier liability is the responsibility a carrier may have for loss, damage or delay under the rules applying to the carriage. It is assessed from the contract, transport regime and facts. A damaged delivery does not establish the amount of compensation by itself.
Which rules apply?
The CMR Convention can govern qualifying international carriage of goods by road. Other rules may apply to domestic movements, sea carriage or parts of a multimodal journey. The correct framework must be established for the actual shipment.
Applicable rules can include monetary limits, often linked to weight for goods loss or damage, as well as exceptions, defences and notification requirements. A carrier’s insurance limit is a separate consideration from the legal limit on its liability.
Under CMR as amended by the 1978 Protocol, the ordinary limit for loss is 8.33 Special Drawing Rights per kilogram of gross weight short, where that provision applies. SDRs are an international unit of account, not euros. Other provisions, declared values or exceptions can affect the result; this figure is not a universal settlement calculation.
Information needed for an assessment
- The booking and transport documents.
- Where and when the goods were handed over and delivered.
- Evidence of their condition at those stages.
- The nature, quantity, weight and supported value of affected goods.
- Details of the event and any action taken afterwards.
The forwarder’s role
Cargo Euro Hub arranges transport with direct carriers and is your contact for the shipment. Forwarder and carrier responsibilities should be assessed under the relevant agreement; they are not automatically identical because one business organised the movement.
Notify your manager promptly if there is a problem. Ask which claim requirements and time limits apply rather than waiting for every supporting document before first reporting the incident.
Read forwarder versus carrier, insurance differences and reporting a claim.