Cargo Claims

The Essential Guide

David Richards

• Publisher: Informa Law from Routledge
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN: 9781040615362
• Topic: Law
• Subtopic: Arbitration, Negotiation & Mediation in Law
• Index: Law

Cargo claims are the most frequent form of third-party liability incurred by carriers by sea and their P&I insurers. They are the bread-and-butter work of ship operators and P&I clubs, with each club handling thousands of cargo claims every year. This new book examines every aspect of cargo claims from a legal and practical perspective and complements other legal textbooks which specialise in bills of lading or charterparties.

Following the life of a typical cargo claim, the book analyses the basis upon which carriers face liability for cargo loss and damage; the law on delay and deviation; cargo interests' responsibilities for the cargo they ship; defences to cargo claims; the role of cargo insurers and subrogation; P&I cover for cargo claims; and the recovery options available to a carrier facing a cargo liability. Cargo Claims also includes a detailed clause-by-clause commentary on the InterClub Agreement.

Written for practitioners and those working on cargo claims day-to-day, the book will be invaluable for ship operators, shipping law firms, barristers' chambers, cargo recovery agencies and P&I insurers. Readers will gain a comprehensive guide to the handling of cargo claims by way of a detailed analysis of the underlying legal principles and through practical guidance.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Table of cases
• Chapter 1 Introduction
• Chapter 2 The Contract of Carriage
• Chapter 3 Carrier’s Responsibility towards Cargo
• Chapter 4 Delay and Deviation
• Chapter 5 Cargo Interests’ Responsibilities in Respect of Cargo
• Chapter 6 Defences to Cargo Claims
• Chapter 7 Aspects of Common Cargo Claims
• Chapter 8 Cargo Claims under Charterparties and Ship Sharing Agreements
• Chapter 9 Proof and Causation
• Chapter 10 Cargo Insurers, Subrogation and Recovery Agents
• Chapter 11 P&I Cover for Cargo Claims
• Chapter 12 Security for Cargo Claims and P&I Club Letters of Undertaking
• Chapter 13 Abandonment of Cargo
• Chapter 14 Recovery Actions – Letters of Indemnity
• Chapter 15 Recovery Actions – Charterparties
• Chapter 16 Recovery Actions – the Inter-Club Agreement
• Index