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Ocean Cargo Damage Liability Standards | Freight-Academy™

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GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 17, 2026

Ocean Cargo Damage Liability Standards

Liability standards for ocean cargo damage determine how financial responsibility is allocated between carrier, freight forwarder, and shipper when goods are lost, damaged, or delayed at sea.

Quick Answer

Liability standards for ocean cargo damage determine how financial responsibility is allocated between carrier, freight forwarder, and shipper when goods are lost, damaged, or delayed at sea.

The three principal international regimes—the Hague Rules, the Hague-Visby Rules, and the Hamburg Rules—each set different maximum liability amounts per package or weight unit and define which causes…

In practice, the Hague-Visby Rules govern most transatlantic and European trades; the Hamburg Rules, adopted by a smaller group of states, place comparatively stricter duties on carriers.

Last updated: 17 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_carriage_of_goods_by_sea

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Ocean Cargo Damage Liability Standards

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Definition & Explanation

Liability standards for ocean cargo damage determine how financial responsibility is allocated between carrier, freight forwarder, and shipper when goods are lost, damaged, or delayed at sea. The three principal international regimes—the Hague Rules, the Hague-Visby Rules, and the Hamburg Rules—each set different maximum liability amounts per package or weight unit and define which causes of loss fall within the carrier's responsibility. In practice, the Hague-Visby Rules govern most transatlantic and European trades; the Hamburg Rules, adopted by a smaller group of states, place comparatively stricter duties on carriers. Shippers whose cargo value exceeds the standard threshold can negotiate a higher limit by declaring the actual value on the bill of lading, typically against a freight surcharge. In the event of a claim, the consignee must notify the carrier of visible damage before or at the time of delivery.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – Ocean Cargo Damage Liability Standards (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/ocean-cargo-damage-liability-standards), accessed 2026-09-27
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2025). Ocean Cargo Damage Liability Standards. Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/ocean-cargo-damage-liability-standards
BibTeX: @misc{oceancargodamage2025, title = {Ocean Cargo Damage Liability Standards}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/ocean-cargo-damage-liability-standards}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-09-27} }

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