Dr. Kofi Mbiah – Chief Executive of the Ghana Shippers Authority, has revealed that, though 20 countries need to ratify the \u201cRotterdam Rules\u201d for it to come into force, it is not enough.<\/p>\n
According to him, there should be more countries to accept the rules because the business of import and export involves many countries. Dr Mbiah made this known to Apt News at the end of a forum on the United Nations Convention on Contract for International Carriage of Goods wholly or partly by sea, which is termed the \u201cRotterdam Rules\u201d, held here in Takoradi on the 22nd<\/sup> March 2017.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know twenty countries would ratify to bring the rules into force but it is not enough; there should be more countries to accept the rules because the business of import and export is international in character and involves many countries\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is why the \u201cHamburg Rules\u201d even though entered into force, was not found acceptable not found acceptable by the international community; so it is important that apart from the twenty which would ratify to bring it into force, you need many more countries to accept the \u2018Rotterdam Rules\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n The \u2018Rotterdam Rules\u2019 was signed in the Netherlands by some countries including Ghana in September 2009, with several more countries yet to ratify for it to come into force.<\/p>\n For well over half a century, the international regime relating to the contract of maritime carriage of goods had been governed by The Hague Rules, Hague-Visby Rules and the Hamburg Rules.<\/p>\n Dr. Mbiah explained that wide application of the \u201cRotterdam Rules\u201d is what would be good for international business.<\/p>\n The day\u2019s forum was under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport. It brought together the shipping community, the legislature and relevant government ministries and agencies, on the provisions of the UN convention and its benefit to the shipper and carrier.<\/p>\n The forum also discussed the rights and obligations of both shipper and carrier under the \u2018Rotterdan Rules\u2019.<\/p>\n By: Joe Bright Nyarko<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"