Enter the gross weight and the number of packages: the sea carrier's limit is the higher of the two figures — 666.67 SDR per package or 2 SDR per kilogram.
Indicative result. The SDR→EUR conversion uses the IMF's daily valuation, dated in the result; the legally applicable conversion date depends on each regime and is stated for the selected mode.
Under a bill of lading the Hague-Visby Rules apply mandatorily (Art. 277.2 of the Spanish Maritime Navigation Act): the carrier is liable up to 666.67 SDR per package or 2 SDR per kilogram of gross weight, whichever is higher.
With containerised cargo, certain clauses of the bill of lading will influence what counts as a package (e.g., the whole container or each package enumerated in the B/L) — a difference that can multiply the limit and is worth reviewing case by case.
It depends on the container clause and on how the cargo was enumerated in the bill of lading: if the B/L enumerates the packages, each one counts; if not, the container may count as a single package. Ask us about your specific case and we will advise you.
The limit falls away where the damage results from a reckless act or omission of the carrier with knowledge that damage would probably result, or where the value of the goods was declared in the bill of lading — demanding tests in practice.
The regime of the leg where the damage is localised applies; where it cannot be localised, the specific rules of the contract and of the Spanish Maritime Navigation Act come into play. Case-by-case analysis is required.