Danish Maritime Law Committee 

On 21 December 1977, the Danish Maritime Law Committee was set up as a Permanent Committee by the then Minister of Trade and Industry, and it has functioned as a Committee since then.

The Committee assists the Minister in issues related to the Danish Merchant Shipping Act, especially when submitting reports and when draw-ing up draft bills amending the Danish Merchant Shipping Act. Thus, the Committee helps ensure modern and appropriate regulation of Danish maritime issues.

Previously, the Committee has prepared reports on i.a. carriage of goods by sea (The Hague-Visby Rules and the Hamburg Rules), on civil liability for bunker oil pollution (the Bunkers Convention) and on liability and compensation for damage in connection with the carriage of hazardous and noxious substances by sea (the HNS-Convention).

The preparation of a report and the drawing up of a draft bill amending the Danish Merchant Shipping Act as regards the United Nations’ Con-vention of 11 December 2008 on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea (the Rotterdam Rules) has been initi-ated. The Rotterdam Rules contains regulations of the contractual condi-tions on the carriage of goods by sea.

The purpose is for Denmark to be among the countries that, through the ratification of the Rotterdam Rules, help bring about its enforcement.

Chairman
Vice-President Mette Christensen
The Maritime and Commercial Court

Secretary
Special Adviser Sine Rosenborg
The Danish Maritime Authority