Trade Law

TRANSPORTATION LAW

General Research on Transportation Law

Lex Mercatoria (International Trade/Commercial Law Monitor) - this is well-organized resource for research in International Law and Trade, including the international transport of goods.

International Conventions - a list of countries which have agreed to various international trade and transportation conventions, including the Hague Rules, the Warsaw Convention, and various revisions to these rules.

Air Transport

Montreal Convention of 1999 - the Montreal Convention is intended as the successor to the Warsaw Convention of 1929. It is a "consolidation" treaty which incorporates the Warsaw Convention, prior protocols, and certain International Air Transport Association (IATA). The Warsaw Convention continues to apply in cases if a country has not yet adopted the Montreal Convention. The Montreal Convention was ratified by the United States in 2003.

Warsaw Convention of 1929 -

Hague Protocol of 1955 - adopted by U.S. as part of Montreal Protocol No. 4.

Montreal Protocol No. 1 - 1975

Montreal Protocol No. 2 - 1975

Montreal Protocol No. 3 - 1975

Montreal Protocol No. 4 - 1975 - finally ratified by the United States on September 19, 1998.

Marine Transport

U.S. Federal Maritime Commission - this is the official FMC site.

International Ocean Shipping - this link brings you to the U.S. government web site version of the Shipping Act of 1984, as modified by the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, which changed the law significantly.

Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998 - this link brings you to the text of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998.

Impact of the OSRA According to the FMC - a report on the impact of OSRA which was prepared by the Federal Maritime Commission in 2001.

Ocean Shipping Regulations - this FMC's web site on shipping regulations.

The U.S. Carriage Of Goods By Sea Act [Title 46 U.S.C.] ("COGSA") - the U.S. Governmental Printing Office link to the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act.

Surface Transport

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration - the FMCSA regulates safety and other aspects of motor transportation in the United States.

Title 49, USC - statutes concerning the surface transportation of goods among the states are published in Title 49 of the U.S. Code.

Title 49, CFR - regulations governing the surface transportation of goods among the states are published in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

The Intermodal Safe Container Act - the Intermodal Safe Container Act requires shippers to provide container weight and contents information to truckers prior to pickup if the weight of the loaded container exceeds 29,000 pounds. However, the statute leaves enforcement of truck and trailer weight laws to the States.

Interstate Transport of Hazardous Materials

Office of Hazardous Materials Safety (OHMS) - this is the official web site of the Department of Transportation, Office of Hazardous Materials.

California Law

California Statutes - since they are interspersed throughout various codes and often appear on different pages, this link brings you to a page from which you can conduct research on California laws which concern the business of transportation. To limit your research on particular areas, click on this link, then proceed directly to the following code provisions:

General Provisions re: Common Carriers of Property--Civil Code § 2110 et seq.

Warehouse Receipts and Bills of Lading--Commercial Code § 7101 et seq.

Marine Carrier Liability--Harbors and Navigation Code § 420 et seq.

Motor Carriers of Property Act--Vehicle Code § 34600 et seq.

Transport of Hazardous Materials--Vehicle Code § 32000 et seq.

Size, Weight and Load Restrictions--Vehicle Code § 35000 et seq.

California Code of Regulations - since they are dispersed throughout various titles and often appear on different pages, this link brings you to a page from which you can conduct research on California regulations which concern the business of transportation. To limit your research on particular areas, click on this link, then proceed directly to the following regulations:

Motor Carriers of Property Regulations--Title 13, § 220 et seq.

General Hazardous Materials Regulations--Title 13, § 1160 et seq.

Haneda International Airport (Tokyo)