Responsibility of the carrier for transportation of goods by sea

Globalization with increasing world trade has increased interest in maritime transport because it is fast, reliable and much cheaper. Maritime transport is a way of transport involving large investments and risks. One of the most important issues of transporting goods by sea is the responsibility of the carrier for the cargo concerned. International regulations have been made to ensure the balance of interests in terms of responsibility between the carrier and the shipper. The first successful arrangement in the field of international law is the 1924 dated "La Haye Convention" (Brussels). "The La Haye / Visby Rules" of 1968 modified "La Haye's Rules". "The 1978 Hamburg Rules" were arranged in order to meet the modern needs. However, none of the developed states, including the United States, have become parties to this convention. "Rotterdam Rules" were signed in 2009 to replace previous conventions. In this thesis study, the nature of the freight contracts which constitute the source of the responsibility of the carrier will be examined. Then, the provisions of the responsibility of the carrier carried out in the Turkish Commercial Code, the limitation of liability and irresponsibility; the views in the doctrine will be analyzed in detail in the light of court decisions and developments in international conventions. Finally, we will try to put forward the responsibilities of the carrier by conducting comparative analysis of the provisions regulated in international conventions. Keywords: Maritime Transport, Freight Contract, Liability of the Transporter, Limitation of Liability, International Conventions