Informa Law from Routledge
Cargo Claims: The Essential Guide
Cargo Claims: The Essential Guide
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David Richards
ISBN: 9781041088172
Published: March 2026
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Publisher: Informa Law from Routledge
Description
Cargo claims are the most frequent form of third-party liability facing carriers by sea and their P&I insurers, with major container lines facing roughly 20,000 claims a year and large P&I clubs handling up to 10,000. Cargo Claims: The Essential Guide is the first book focused solely on this area of practice in nearly two decades. It follows the life of a typical cargo claim from first principles through to recovery, examining the carrier's basis of liability, the law on delay and deviation, cargo interests' own responsibilities, available defences, the role of cargo insurers and subrogation, P&I cover, and the recovery options open to a carrier facing liability — including a detailed clause-by-clause commentary on the InterClub Agreement.
Key Features
The first dedicated cargo claims text published in nearly 20 years, closing a long-standing gap alongside existing titles on bills of lading and charterparties.
Follows the practical lifecycle of a cargo claim, from initial notification through defences, insurance recovery, and final settlement.
Includes a full clause-by-clause commentary on the InterClub Agreement, the industry's standard mechanism for apportioning cargo liability between owners and charterers.
Coverage
Topics include: the contract of carriage; the carrier's responsibility for cargo loss and damage; delay and deviation; cargo interests' responsibilities; defences to cargo claims; claims under charterparties and ship-sharing agreements; proof and causation; cargo insurers, subrogation and recovery agents; P&I cover; security for claims and Club Letters of Undertaking; abandonment of cargo; and recovery actions under letters of indemnity, charterparties, and the InterClub Agreement.
About the Authors
David Richards holds a law degree from the University of Exeter and qualified as a solicitor at Ince & Co in 2007, becoming a partner there in 2015. In 2018 he joined the North of England P&I Club as Deputy Director specialising in cargo claims, going on to become Deputy Global Head of P&I Claims and Head of Legal & Expertise. In January 2025 he returned to private practice as a Director at Shearwater Law.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Contract of Carriage
3. Carrier's Responsibility Towards Cargo
4. Delay and Deviation
5. Cargo Interests' Responsibilities in Respect of Cargo
6. Defences to Cargo Claims
7. Aspects of Common Cargo Claims
8. Cargo Claims Under Charterparties and Ship Sharing Agreements
9. Proof and Causation
10. Cargo Insurers, Subrogation and Recovery Agents
11. P&I Cover for Cargo Claims
12. Security for Cargo Claims and P&I Club Letters of Undertaking
13. Abandonment of Cargo
14. Recovery Actions – Letters of Indemnity
15. Recovery Actions – Charterparties
16. Recovery Actions – InterClub Agreement
Why buy this book?
Cargo claims are bread-and-butter work for ship operators, shipping law firms, and P&I insurers, yet the field hasn't had a dedicated modern text in almost twenty years. Written by a practitioner who has handled cargo claims from both the P&I club and law firm sides, this guide gives a current, practical account of how courts have grown less sympathetic to carriers — including cases like The CMA CGM Libra on unseaworthiness — making it a genuinely useful reference for day-to-day claims handling, not just an academic survey.
Keywords
cargo claims, bills of lading, carrier liability, P&I insurance, InterClub Agreement, subrogation, marine cargo, shipping law, charterparties, cargo insurance
Target Audience
P&I clubs, ship operators, shipping law firms, barristers' chambers, cargo recovery agencies, marine cargo insurers
Genre
Maritime Law, Shipping Law, Marine Insurance
Q&A
What does this book cover? It follows the full lifecycle of a cargo claim, from the carrier's basis of liability through defences, insurance recovery, and the InterClub Agreement.
Who is this book written for? Ship operators, shipping law firms, P&I clubs, cargo recovery agencies, and marine cargo insurers handling claims day-to-day.
Does it cover the InterClub Agreement? Yes, it includes a detailed clause-by-clause commentary on the InterClub Agreement.
Is this a practitioner-focused or academic text? It is written for practitioners, combining legal analysis with practical guidance on handling cargo claims.
Where can I buy Cargo Claims: The Essential Guide? You can order it directly from CLNZ Books, with secure worldwide shipping.
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