GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026

Hague-Visby Rules

The Hague-Visby Rules are the prevailing international standard governing ocean carrier liability under bills of lading.

Quick Answer

Last updated: 26 June 2026Published: 27 January 2026

Source: https://www.imo.org/en/KnowledgeCenter/Index/Pages/Hague-Visby-Rules.aspx

Category

Logistics Concept

Reading time

1 min

Words

122

Mentioned in

–

Definition & Explanation

The Hague-Visby Rules are the prevailing international standard governing ocean carrier liability under bills of lading. Adopted through the 1968 Visby Protocol as amendments to the 1924 Hague Rules, they raised per-package liability limits and introduced the gross weight of the shipment as an alternative calculation unit. Most major trading nations have incorporated them into national maritime law, making them the default framework for international cargo contracts evidenced by a bill of lading. Carriers must properly load, stow, carry, and discharge goods; in return, they may invoke a defined catalogue of statutory liability exemptions. Unlike the later Hamburg Rules, the Hague-Visby Rules retain the carrier's exemption for navigational errors by the crew — a distinction with tangible consequences for cargo claims practice.

Next steps

Matching tools and partners

Calculate transit timeEstimate duration per transport modeOpen Check sea freight costEstimate FCL/LCL costOpen Find HS codeDetermine the tariff number for customsOpen Find a matching partnerFreight forwarders and logistics partners worldwideOpen

Related Terms

You might also be interested in these terms

Last Container Rule in Maritime Shipping

Unlike a binding procedural rule, the Last Container Rule is a stowage optimisation principle in container shipping: a container l…

Learn more

USMCA – Labor Value Rule Automotive Industry

An auto supplier in Mexico claiming preferential duty treatment must demonstrate that a minimum share of the vehicle's value was c…

Learn more

e-dec mapping rule

An e-dec mapping rule defines how data from a company's own IT system is automatically transferred into the correct fields of the …

Learn more

border terminal slot rule deviation

When a border terminal fails to comply with the prescribed slot rule or grants an exception – for example, by permitting a truck t…

Learn more

Warehouse bonus rule

When a warehouse operator achieves a contractually defined throughput speed or volume minimum, a bonus rule is triggered—the clien…

Learn more

First Sale Rule

As of July 2026. The First Sale Rule lets U.S. importers base the customs value not on the last sale (middleman → U.S. buyer) but …

Learn more

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Free · No password · Never a paywall. Weekly top news and facts from logistics.

Hague-Visby Rules

Next steps

Related Terms

Last Container Rule in Maritime Shipping

USMCA – Labor Value Rule Automotive Industry

e-dec mapping rule

border terminal slot rule deviation

Warehouse bonus rule

First Sale Rule

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Community Questions & Answers