United States: carrier liability conventions for cargo
Which international cargo liability regimes United States is bound by, from the treaty depositaries' records.
Summary
- Ocean (shipments from United States): US COGSA (US$500 per package).
- Air: Montreal Convention 1999 (26 SDR/kg) on routes to other MC99 parties.
- Road: Carmack Amendment for US truck freight; not a CMR party.
- Rail: not an OTIF Member State.
Ocean
| Instrument | Status | Date / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hague Rules 1924 | Party | 29 Jun 1937 (ratification) Implemented by COGSA with a US$500 per package limit. | Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (depositary): States bound by the 1924 Bills of Lading Convention |
| Visby Protocol 1968 | Signed, not ratified | 1968 (date not stated) Signatory only. | Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (depositary): States bound by the 1968 Visby Protocol (last modified 28 May 2021) |
| SDR Protocol 1979 | Not a party | Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (depositary): States bound by the 1979 SDR Protocol | |
| Hamburg Rules 1978 | Signed, not ratified | 30 Apr 1979 Signatory only; not ratified. | UN Treaty Collection, Hamburg Rules (XI-D-3) |
National law: US COGSA applies to bills of lading for carriage to or from US ports in foreign trade. 46 U.S.C. § 30701 note (COGSA)
Air
| Instrument | Status | Date / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Convention 1999 | Party | 5 Sep 2003 Entry into force 4 Nov 2003. | ICAO, Current list of parties to the Montreal Convention 1999 |
| Warsaw Convention 1929 | Party | 31 Jul 1934 | ICAO, Parties to the Warsaw Convention 1929 and The Hague Protocol 1955 |
| The Hague Protocol 1955 | Party | 15 Sep 2003 | ICAO, Parties to the Warsaw Convention 1929 and The Hague Protocol 1955 |
| Montreal Additional Protocol No. 4 | To confirm | MAP4 status not retrieved from ICAO during this build. |
Road
| Instrument | Status | Date / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMR 1956 | Not a party | UN Treaty Collection, CMR (XI-B-11) |
Rail
| Instrument | Status | Date / note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| COTIF 1999 / CIM | Not a party | Not listed among OTIF Member States. | OTIF, Member States |
Notes
- Domestic and cross-border (US portion) truck freight: Carmack Amendment, 49 U.S.C. § 14706.
FAQ
Is United States a party to the Hague-Visby Rules?
United States is not listed as a treaty party, but US COGSA applies to bills of lading for carriage to or from US ports in foreign trade.
Which air cargo liability limit applies to flights from United States?
United States is a party to the Montreal Convention 1999 (ratification/accession 5 Sep 2003). Between MC99 parties the cargo limit is 26 SDR per kg from 28 December 2024.
Does CMR apply to trucking from United States?
United States is not listed as a CMR party. CMR can still apply to a road leg if the other country is a party, since CMR applies when either the place of taking over or delivery is in a contracting country.
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Prototype: this form is not connected yet and stores nothing.Status checked against depositary records on 2026-10-16. "Not a party" means not listed by the depositary. General information only, not legal or insurance advice. Limits depend on the contract, the documents issued, declared values, national law and the facts of each case. Check the primary sources and consult a qualified professional before relying on any figure.