CMR consignment note and international road carriage

What the note records at takeover

Sender, consignee, place and date of taking over, place designated for delivery, description of the goods, packages, marks, weight, and any charges. Where the carrier cannot verify the count or the apparent condition, it is entitled to record reservations, and the absence of reservations creates a presumption that the goods were received in apparent good order. A driver who signs without looking has just given away a defence.

Reservations at delivery and the clock they start

The mirror of that principle applies on arrival. Damage that is apparent must be noted at delivery, and loss or damage that is not apparent has to be raised within a short period, or a presumption arises that the goods were delivered as described. Time limits for notification and for bringing suit are prescribed rather than negotiable, and a receiving team that signs a clean note because the driver is in a hurry has weakened a claim before anyone has looked in the boxes.

How liability is framed

The convention makes the carrier liable for loss, damage and delay between takeover and delivery, subject to defined exemptions such as inherent vice, defective packing by the sender, and circumstances the carrier could not avoid. Compensation is capped by reference to the weight of the goods lost or damaged unless a higher value or a special interest in delivery has been declared and the corresponding charge paid. High-value, low-weight cargo is therefore substantially uncovered by default.

Instructions, disposal and the sender's continuing rights

The sender generally retains the right to dispose of the goods, including stopping them in transit or changing the delivery point, until the note has been handed to the consignee or the goods have been delivered. That right can be transferred to the consignee by an entry on the note. Where a customer becomes insolvent while a load is on the road, knowing which party currently holds the right of disposal determines whether anything can be done about it.

Frequently asked questions

Does the consignment note prove ownership of the goods?

No. It evidences the contract of carriage and the taking over of the goods, not title to them. Unlike a negotiable sea document, it is not surrendered to obtain delivery, so possession of a copy gives no right to claim the cargo.

What should a receiving team do if a load looks wrong?

Record what is actually observed on the note before signing, in specific terms, and keep a copy. Photographs help but the written reservation at the moment of delivery is the entry that carries evidential weight, and it costs nothing to make.