A Comparative Study of the Scope of Liability of Persons Involved in Transportation in International Multimodal Transport Documents of Goods and Iranian Law
Keywords:
Limits of liability of the combined carrier of goods, contractual limitation of liability, limits of liability of the carrier's agents and agents, Himalayan clauseAbstract
In international multimodal transport documents of goods, despite the recognition of the unified liability of the multimodal transport operator, contrary to the principle of full compensation for damage, the scope of the operator’s liability is subject to specific limitations. Based on the value of the cargo and with due regard to the place where the damage occurs, the extent of liability for compensating the incurred loss is determined. Nevertheless, the parties to the contract of carriage may, by stipulating Paramount and Kaspiana clauses or by entering into agreements concerning the limitation of liability, modify the scope of liability in respect of potential future damages, provided that the level of liability does not fall below the minimum threshold prescribed in the multimodal transport convention as the governing law. Furthermore, the scope of liability of servants, agents, and representatives of the multimodal transport operator is determined in accordance with the international convention governing unimodal carriage of goods; however, the parties to the contract of carriage may, by stipulating a Himalaya clause, determine the scope of liability of these persons by agreement, thereby extending the limitations of liability to all persons involved in the multimodal transport of goods.
References
Aalipour, H. (2011). Criminal Law of Information Technology (1st ed.). Khorsandi.
Besong, C. (2007). Towards a modern role for liability in multimodal transport law University of London].
Costa Conrado, L. (2011). Multimodal Aspect of the Rotterdam Rules: a critical analysis of the liability of the MTO.
Damar, D. (2011). Breaking the liability limits in multimodal transport. Tul. Mar LJ, 36, 659.
Derkach, E., & Pavliuk, S. (2017). International Law on the Multimodal Carriage of Goods: Recent Trends and Perspectives. International Journal of Legal Studies (IJOLS), 2, 269-285. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0012.2252
Etape, N. R. (2012). The Impact of Multimodal Forms of Transport on a Cargo Carrier's Liability Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University].
Ezanloo, M. (2014). Limitation and Exclusion Clauses of Liability in Contracts (4th ed.). Entishar Co.
Ezanloo, M., Bahadoran Shirvan, M., & Mohajerani, A. (2016). Limitation of liability of the maritime carrier in Iranian law and international conventions. Gawah Legal Teachings(2), 31-54.
Ezanloo, M., & Darghahi, R. (2014). An overview of international documents on the general system of global limitation of liability in maritime law. Private Law Studies Quarterly, 44(4), 477-494.
Ezanloo, M., & Samadi, A. (2013). The basis of carrier liability in Iranian law and international conventions (CMR - Warsaw). Transportation Research Journal, 10(4), 391-400.
Feizi Chakab, G. N., & Mardani, M. A. (2020). Evolution of the multimodal carrier's liability, from the 1980 Geneva Multimodal Transport Rules to the 2009 Rotterdam Rules. Private Law Research, 8(31), 141-170.
Fernandez, J. E. (2019). Paramount Clause and Codification of International Shipping Law. J. Mar. L. & Com., 50, 45.
Hasneziri, L. (2024). Terms of exclusion or limitation of contractual liability under English civil law. Academic Journal of Business, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.2478/ajbals-2024-0003
Jeon, H. (2013). Coping with muddles and uncertainty in the field of multimodal transport liability University of Southampton].
Katouzian, N. (2025). Non-Contractual Obligations: Civil Liability (General Rules) (6th ed., Vol. 1). Ganj-e-Danesh.
Khajehzadeh, A. (2022). The impact of private contracts on the liability of road carriers in Iranian commercial law and the CMR Convention. Majd Publications.
Law, M. H. M. T. (2010). The Law Applicable to the Multimodal Contract for the Carriage of Goods. Kluwer Law International.
Mahafzah, Q. A. (2018). The Legal and Economic Impact of the Caspiana Clause under Bills of Lading and Charterparties. Austl. & NZ Mar. LJ, 32, 26.
Martínez Gutiérrez, N. (2010). Limitation of Liability in International Maritime Conventions: The Relationship Between Global Limitation Conventions and Particular Liability Regimes. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203834039
Osnes, L. O. (2018). Liability in multimodal transport. Liability for loss and damage to goods during an international multimodal transport The University of Bergen].
Rowan, S. (2012). Remedies for Breach of Contract, a Comparative Analysis of the Protection of Performance. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199606603.001.0001
Rowan, S. (2021). Comparative Observations on Punishment in Private Law. Hart Pub.
Safai, H., & Rahimi, H. (2018). Comparative Civil Liability (1st ed.). Shahre Danesh Institute of Law Research and Study.
Shabahang, A., Badini, H., & Almasi, N. A. (2026). The Effect of Intentional or Gross Fault on the Contractual Limitation of the Multimodal Transport Operator's Liability under International Multimodal Transport Documents and Iranian Law. Legal Studies in Digital Age, 5(4).
Simaee Sarraf, H., & Yari, M. (2014). Obligations and liabilities of the maritime carrier in the Rotterdam Convention; A comparative study with Iranian maritime law, Brussels, and Hamburg Conventions. Journal of Legal Research(6).
Taghizadeh, E. (2019). Maritime Transport Law (5th ed.). Majd Scientific Assembly.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Amirhossein Shabahang (Author); Hassan Badini (Corresponding author); Nejadali Almasi (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.