“Electronic transport records”: Assessing the contribution of the Rotterdam Rules to e-commerce

The Rotterdam Rules is the first international maritime carriage of goods Convention that officially acknowledges electronic records of contracts of carriage and has devoted a separate chapter to their regulation. This paper aims to assess the impact of the Rotterdam Rules on facilitating the conclusion of maritime contracts electronically. Whether articles 8 and 10 of the Rotterdam Rules provide an effective mechanism for electronic cargo documentation, and in which ways will be investigated. Where the impact of these provisions of the Rotterdam Rules on electronic commerce is judged unsatisfactory more efficient and trustworthy ways of transforming the Rules to make them a more effective springboard for paperless trade will be suggested.