LIABILITY OF MARITIME AND INLAND WATERWAY CARRIERS AND CARRIER IDENTIFICATION IN DIFFERENT CONTRACTUAL RELATIONS

In private maritime law, identifying maritime carriers is a key issue, complicated by the division of responsibilities for the transport and the cargo. Carriers can be maritime entrepreneurs who do not own ships, necessitating a distinction between carriers under charter and those under a bill of lading. In cases of charter chains, responsibilities can be divided between different legal entities, such as ship owners and time charterers. This distinction is crucial during cargo unloading when discrepancies in the cargo's condition or quantity arise, determining who is liable for the damages.