Legal Definitions - Hague Rules

Definition: The Hague Rules is an international agreement that was adopted at the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Bills of Lading in 1924. It is a set of rules that govern the liability of carriers for losses that occur during the transportation of goods by sea.

Under the Hague Rules, a carrier is not liable for losses that occur due to certain reasons such as:

• Act of God
• Act of war
• Act of public enemies
• Fire
• Perils of the sea

For example, if a ship carrying goods encounters a storm and the goods are damaged, the carrier is not liable for the loss as it is considered a peril of the sea.

Another example is if the goods are damaged due to an act of war, the carrier is not liable for the loss as it is considered an act of war.

The Hague Rules provide a framework for the transportation of goods by sea and help to ensure that carriers are not held liable for losses that occur due to circumstances beyond their control.