7/29/2019 A letter urging U.S. ratification of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Go

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February 7, 2013

Ms. Susan N. Biniaz

Deputy Legal Adviser

International AffairsU.S. Department of StateWashington, D.C. 20520

Re: United States ratification of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of GoodsWholly or Partly by Sea (the Rotterdam Rules)

Dear Ms. Biniaz:

The undersigned organizations represent U.S. importers and exporters, the carriers that connect those importers andexporters with Americas trading partners around the world, and American ad miralty law practitioners. Our

organizations served on the U.S. delegation during the seven-year UNCITRAL negotiations leading to the signing of the

Rotterdam Rules, and we strongly support prompt U.S. ratification of the treaty. We are quite concerned that the delayof more than three years after the United States signed the treaty is undermining international support for the treaty and

is causing the international maritime community to doubt the United States intentions.

The United States took a leadership position during the negotiations and achieved most of its objectives in the final text.

Now our negotiating partners are waiting to see if the United States will follow through on its stated intention to ratifythe treaty. Many of our colleagues in other countries have told us that their governments will not ratify unless and until

the United States does so. Unless the United States demonstrates its support for the Rotterdam Rules, we risk losing a

rare opportunity to modernize and harmonize this important area of international transport law. Transmittal of the treaty

to the Senate is a needed demonstration of that support and of the treatys viability.

We understand that the draft ratification package was transmitted to the Departments Office of Treaty Affairs for its

review late last year by the Office of Private International Law. We urge you to expedite this review and approval of the

package by the State Department as soon as possible so that it may be sent to the White House for transmittal to theSenate for its advice and consent.

Thank you for your help in this matter. We look forward to continuing our support for the successful U.S. ratification of

the Rotterdam Rules.

Sincerely,

Bruce J. Carlton Christopher Koch

President and CEO President and CEO

The National Industrial Transportation League World Shipping Council

Rich McArdle David Short

Senior Vice President Senior Counsel, Trade & International Affairs

UPS International Government Affairs FedEx Express

Robert B. Parrish

President

The Maritime Law Association of the United States

Cc: Krishna R.Kris Urs, Paul B. Dean, Keith N. Loken, Michael S. Coffee and Steven M. Miller