Abstract
This paper, framed by UK law, focuses on analyzing the provisions of multimodal transport documents under the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1971 and 1992,with particular attention to two key legal issues: First, whether multimodal transport bills of lading can be recognized as traditional bills of lading or seaway bill under the current legal framework; Second, whether the Hague-Visby Rules introduced by the 1971 Act can be directly applied to the maritime segment of multimodal transport practices.
This paper analyzes the British legal precedents and legal provisions, and puts forward the following problems that need to be solved: first, the 1992 Act does not clearly define the multimodal transport documents and whether they can be applied to this law, and the 1971 Act does not make clear provisions on the scope of application.
In order to deal with the practical challenges brought by the above defects, this paper will analyze the relevant content and put forward suggestions for legal modification: the law should clearly cover multimodal transport.
References
TABLE OF CASES
United Kingdom
1.Kum v Wah Tat Bank Ltd [1971] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 439 (PC)
2.Leduc v Ward (1888) 20 QBD 475
3.Motis Exports Ltd v Dampskibsselskabet AF 1912 [2000] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 211 (CA)
4.Pyrene Co Ltd v Scindia Navigation Co Ltd [1954] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 321 (QB)
5.Quantum Corporation Inc v Plane Trucking Ltd [2002] EWCA Civ 694, [2002] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 357
6.The Happy Ranger [2002] EWCA Civ 694, [2002] 2 Lloyd’s Rep 357
7.The Hollandia (The Morviken) [1983] 1 AC 565 (HL)
8.The Jordan II [2003] EWCA Civ 144, [2003] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 87
9.The Rafaela S [2005] UKHL 11, [2005] 2 AC 423
International / Comparative
10.Munch v Agence Maritime Cass civ (1) 22 January 1980, DMF 1980, 181
11.The Shipping Company v XYZ Logistics [2011] SGHC 12
TABLE OF LEGISLATION
United Kingdom
12.Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1971
13.Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1992
Hong Kong
14.Carriage of Goods by Sea Ordinance (Cap 462)
Singapore
15.Maritime Transport Act 2021 (No 40 of 2021)
International Conventions
16.Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR) (Geneva, 19 May 1956)
17.International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading (Brussels, 25 August 1924) as amended by the Protocol (Brussels, 23 February 1968) (Hague-Visby Rules)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
18.Baughen S, Shipping Law (6th edn, Routledge 2019)
19.Gaskell N, Bills of Lading: Law and Contracts (LLP 2000)
20.Rose FD and Reynolds FMB (eds), Carver on Bills of Lading (5th edn, Thomson Reuters, trading as Sweet & Maxwell 2022)
21.Treitel GH and Reynolds FMB, Carver on Bills of Lading (2nd edn, Sweet & Maxwell 2005)
Chapters in Edited Books
22.Tettenborn A, ‘Bills of Lading, Multimodal Transport Documents, and Other Things’ in Soyer B and Tettenborn A (eds), Carriage of Goods by Sea, Land and Air: Unimodal and Multimodal Transport in the 21st Century (Informa Law from Routledge 2020)
Journal Articles
23.Ozdel M, ‘Multimodal Transport Documents in International Sale of Goods’ (2014) 25(7) I.C.C.L.R. 243
International Materials
24.United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea (adopted 11 December 2008) (Rotterdam Rules)
25.UNCITRAL, Rotterdam Rules: Travaux Préparatoires (2008)
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Copyright (c) 2026 Kang Rao, Chuyun Zhang, Xuancheng Hou