CMR – International Commodity & Transportation Waybill

If you ever had to order international transport for your goods, you came across the waybill for transportation called “CMR”. What is it and what are its uses? CMR, or in other words, “international commodity and transport waybill”, is a document that is used in international road transportation within the framework of Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road.

This document plays an important role in the international road transportation of goods, since it regulates responsibility of sender, carrier and receiver of goods. As soon as the international commodity and transportation waybill is executed, CMR insurance takes effect – it protects owner of goods from possible losses connected with cargo damage caused by carrier. The main distinction of CMR from other transportation waybills is Insurance.

In order for CMR Insurance to take effect, the following conditions have to be fulfilled: shipment is payable, places of loading and unloading of goods are located in different states, at least one of the states has to be a member of CMR Convention, transportation of goods is performed by road transport.

It is important to keep in mind that according to CMR Insurance the responsibility of carrier is limited and amounts to 8,33 SDR or about 13,00 USD per one gross kilo of goods.

It is advised to issue an additional insurance in case the CMR Insurance does not cover the value of goods.