GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026

Time Bar

A time bar extinguishes a claimant's right to pursue cargo loss or damage – not merely weakens it.

Quick Answer

Last updated: 26 June 2026Published: 27 January 2026

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

Category

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Reading time

1 min

Words

132

Mentioned in

–

Definition & Explanation

A time bar extinguishes a claimant's right to pursue cargo loss or damage – not merely weakens it. Under the CMR Convention for road transport, the standard limitation period is one year from delivery, extended to three years in cases of wilful misconduct or gross negligence; maritime regimes vary depending on the applicable convention or bill of lading terms. Cargo receivers face an additional prior obligation: visible damage must be noted at delivery, while concealed damage typically must be reported within a few days, or the goods are deemed accepted without reservation. Missing the time bar is a hard cutoff – no amount of compelling evidence will revive an extinguished claim. For freight forwarders and insurers, this makes disciplined monitoring of claim deadlines, including subrogation rights against third parties, an operational necessity.

Next steps

Tools that match this term

Find HS codeDetermine the tariff number for customsOpen Compare IncotermsClarify duties, cost and riskOpen Check sea freight costEstimate FCL/LCL costOpen Calculate transport costWork out freight / road costOpen

Related Terms

You might also be interested in these terms

Zulu Time Coordination (UTC in Logistics)

Unlike local time references, which shift with geography and seasonal adjustments, UTC – Coordinated Universal Time – provides a f…

Learn more

Truck Turn Time

Reducing truck turn time directly improves vehicle utilisation and terminal throughput – the term refers to the total time a truck…

Learn more

Unloading time window

An unloading time window is a contractually or operationally agreed slot during which a delivery vehicle must arrive at the consig…

Learn more

UTC Coordinated Universal Time

A vessel departs Singapore at 23:15 local time – so that the port authority in Rotterdam, the customs system in Hamburg, and the c…

Learn more

dwell time

The purpose of tracking dwell time is to quantify how long a shipment, container, or vehicle sits at a given location – from arriv…

Learn more

Estimated Time of Arrival

An Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) is a dynamic forecast of when a shipment, vessel, or transport unit will reach its destination …

Learn more

⚖️ ICC Incoterms 2020

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Analyze all 11 Incoterms 2020: cost matrix, risk timeline, insurance gap detector and customs responsibility – free, no login required.

Incoterms Simulator →

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Weekly: Top news, industry facts and insights from the world of logistics – free.

Time Bar

Next steps

Related Terms

Zulu Time Coordination (UTC in Logistics)

Truck Turn Time

Unloading time window

UTC Coordinated Universal Time

dwell time

Estimated Time of Arrival

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Community Questions & Answers