The Effect of Intentional or Gross Fault on the Contractual Limitation of the Multimodal Transport Operator’s Liability under International Multimodal Transport Documents and Iranian Law
Keywords:
Limitation of liability, intentional fault, gross fault, multimodal transport of goodsAbstract
Under multimodal transport documents, the transport operator bears integrated liability for the occurrence of any loss, and liability is presumed against the operator. Nevertheless, by concluding a liability limitation agreement with the cargo owner, the multimodal transport operator determines a ceiling for liability with respect to potential future losses. Pursuant to international multimodal transport instruments, such an agreement is deemed ineffective and unenforceable against the cargo owner in cases where intentional misconduct or gross fault is attributed to the operator. Where intentional or gross fault is committed by the servants, agents, or representatives of the multimodal transport operator, these instruments adopt differentiated approaches depending on the nature of the claim. If a claim for damages is brought on a contractual basis, the limitation of the multimodal transport operator’s liability is not available. However, where a claim for damages is brought on a non-contractual (tortious) basis against the servants, agents, or employees involved in multimodal transport operations, only the culpable individuals are deprived of the right to invoke the limitation of liability, while the multimodal transport operator retains the right to rely on the liability limitation agreement. In all cases, in assessing the concept of gross fault, due regard must be paid to its objective characterization as well as to the level of expertise and professional skill of the transport operator and its agents.
References
Abedi, M. (2015). Economic Analysis of the Non-Liability Clause. Economic Law Encyclopedia Bi-quarterly, 22(7).
Badini, H. (2004). The Goal of Civil Liability. Journal of the Faculty of Law and Political Science(66).
Badini, H. (2023). Philosophy of Civil Liability (5th ed.). Sahami Enteshar.
Badini, H., & Forouzan Boroujeni, F. (2018). A Comparative Study of the Unpardonable Fault of Privileged Victims in Driving and Work Accidents. Legal Research Quarterly(85), 35-59. https://doi.org/10.29252/lawresearch.22.85.35
Besong, C. (2007). Towards a modern role for liability in multimodal transport law University of London].
Black, A. J. (2015). Exclusion clauses in contracts and their enforceability following the decline of fundamental breach. Advoc. Q., 44, 139.
Ciok, P. (2016). The carrier's liability for damage to cargo in multimodal transport with special focus on the Rotterdam Rules. Studia Iuridica Toruniensia, 19, 23-51. https://doi.org/10.12775/SIT.2016.014
Daujotas, R. (2011). Justification of Liability Limitation in International Carriage of Goods.
Derkach, E., & Pavliuk, S. (2017). International Law on the Multimodal Carriage of Goods: Recent Trends and Perspectives. International Journal of Legal Studies (IJOLS), 2, 269-285. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0012.2252
DiMichael, N. (2011). THE ROTTERDAM RULES: THE UN CONVENTION ON CONTRACTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CARRIAGE OF GOODS WHOLLY OR PARTLY BY SEA. Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce, 42(2), 275.
Erfani, T. (2006). Civil Liability of Land Carriers (3rd ed.). Pishbord Publications.
Etape, N. R. (2012). The Impact of Multimodal Forms of Transport on a Cargo Carrier's Liability Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University].
Fakhari, A. H. (2006). A Commentary on a Ruling Issued Regarding the Liability of the Maritime Carrier. Legal Research Journal of Shahid Beheshti University(49).
Feizi-Chakab, G. N., & Mardani, M. A. (2020). The Evolution of Multimodal Carrier Liability: From the 1980 Geneva Combined Transport Rules to Rotterdam 2009. Private Law Research, 8(31), 141-170.
Hasneziri, L. (2024). Terms of exclusion or limitation of contractual liability under English civil law. Academic Journal of Business, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.2478/ajbals-2024-0003
Izanloo, M. (2014). Limiting and Exonerating Clauses of Liability in Contracts (4th ed.). Sahami Enteshar.
Izanloo, M., Bahadoran Shirvan, M., & Mohajerani, A. (2016). Limitation of Liability of the Maritime Carrier in Iranian Law and International Conventions. Ghavah Legal Doctrines, 2(1), 31-54.
Izanloo, M., & Samadi, A. (2013). The Basis of Carrier Liability in Iranian Law and International Conventions (CMR-Warsaw). Transportation Research Journal, 10(4), 391-400.
Jafari-Langroudi, M. J. (2022). Encyclopedia of Civil and Commercial Law (Vol. 1). Bonyad Rastad Publishing.
Jourdain, P., & Adib, M. (2003). Principles of Civil Liability (1st ed.). Mizan Publishing.
Kasih, D. P. D., & Salain, M. S. P. D. (2021). Multimodal Transport: Liability of Third Party Under International Carriage of Goods. 2nd International Conference on Business Law and Local Wisdom in Tourism (ICBLT 2021),
Katouzian, N. (2025). General Rules of Contracts (13th ed., Vol. 4). University of Tehran Press.
Khajezadeh, A. (2022). The Impact of Private Contracts on the Liability of Road Carriers in Iranian Commercial Law and the CMR Convention. Majd Publications.
Khakbaz, M., Almasi, N., & Tayranian, G. (2024). Commutative Justice and the Balancing Rule (Vol. 1). Majd Scientific and Cultural Assembly.
Kongphok, P. (2018). Multimodal transport documents in the context of international trade law University of Southampton].
Lawson, R. G. (2011). Exclusion clauses and unfair contract terms. Sweet & Maxwell.
Micklitz, H. W. (2005). The politics of judicial cooperation in the EU: Sunday trading, equal treatment and good faith. Cambridge university press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511495021
Mohammadzadeh Vadghani, A. (2000). Liability and Rights of the Multimodal Transport Operator in the 1980 Geneva Convention. Journal of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran(50).
Mohebi, M., & Kakavand, M. (2015). Selected Arbitration Awards of the Iran Chamber Arbitration Center (4th ed., Vol. 1). Shahr-e-Danesh Institute of Legal Studies.
Omid, H. (1974). Maritime Law (Vol. 1). Higher School of Insurance.
Osnes, L. O. (2018). Liability in multimodal transport. Liability for loss and damage to goods during an international multimodal transport The University of Bergen].
Razak, F. A., Abd Ghadas, Z. A., Suhaimi, F. A., & Udin, N. M. (2021). Unfair contract terms in online contracts: special reference to online booking of flight tickets. Psychology and Education, 58(2), 1618-1623. https://doi.org/10.17762/pae.v58i2.2317
Rowan, S. (2021). Comparative Observations on Punishment in Private Law. Hart Pub.
Safaei, H. (1996). Essays on Civil Law and Comparative Law. Mizan Publishing.
Safaei, H., & Rahimi, H. (2018). Comparative Civil Liability (1st ed.). Shahr-e-Danesh Institute of Legal Studies.
Taghizadeh, E. (2010). Maritime Transport Law (1st ed.). Majd Scientific Assembly.
Yates, S. (2011). Black's law dictionary: the making of an American standard. Law Libr. J., 103, 175.
Yazdanian, A. (2011). Foundations of Carrier Civil Liability in Goods Transportation Contracts in Iranian and French Law. The Judiciary Law Journal, 75(73), 9-35.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Amirhossein Shabahang (Author); Hassan Badini; Nejad Ali Almasi (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
