Contract and Commercial Law Act 2017

Other commercial matters - Carriage of goods - Kinds of contract of carriage and effect on liability of parties

249: Particular kind of contract of carriage is matter for agreement subject to meeting requirements for that kind

You could also call this:

“You can choose how to carry things, but you must follow the rules”

When you make a contract to carry something, you can choose what kind of contract it is. The law says there are different kinds of contracts for carrying things. To have a specific kind of contract, you need to use the right name for it and follow the rules for that kind of contract.

You and the person you’re making the contract with can decide together what kind of contract you want. But if you don’t say what kind of contract it is, or if you say it’s one kind but don’t follow the rules for that kind, then it automatically becomes a special type called a “limited carrier’s risk” contract.

Remember, the law has specific rules for each kind of contract. If you want a certain kind, make sure you use the right name and follow all the rules for it. If you don’t, your contract might end up being a different kind than you thought.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM6844551.


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248: Liability depends on kind of contract of carriage, or

"Different shipping agreements decide how much the carrier pays if your things get lost or damaged"


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250: Requirements for contract for carriage at owner's risk, or

"Rules for making a contract to carry goods at the owner's risk"

Part 5 Other commercial matters
Carriage of goods: Kinds of contract of carriage and effect on liability of parties

249Particular kind of contract of carriage is matter for agreement subject to meeting requirements for that kind

  1. A contract of carriage is a particular kind of contract referred to in section 248 if—

  2. it uses the term for that kind of contract referred to in section 248(1); and
    1. it meets the requirements that apply to that kind of contract under sections 250 to 253.
      1. The kind of contract of carriage to be entered into in a particular case is a matter of agreement between the parties.

      2. However,—

      3. a contract of carriage that does not purport to be of a particular kind is a contract for carriage at limited carrier's risk:
        1. a contract of carriage that purports to be of a particular kind but does not meet the requirements that apply to that kind under sections 250 to 253 is instead a contract for carriage at limited carrier’s risk.
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