In the Scandinavian countries, the freight associations of Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland have developed a single set of rules for multimodal freight transport. While each country has its own rules for road, rail, air and sea transport, there is no international convention or national legislation that regulates the issue when it is not known where the damage occurred. To address this problem, FIATA has created documents such as the multimodal bill of lading and the freight bill (FWB), both designed for international freight transport, with the FWB serving as a receipt and a contract.
Despite these efforts, disputes often arise due to the lack of regulation in multimodal transport, especially when it is not clear where the damage or delay occurred. A widely used solution in the Scandinavian countries is the "NSAB" structure. This is a set of rules applicable to multimodal transport and assembly, which are often referenced in contracts and taken into account by insurers when assessing risk. Although the NSAB is optional, it becomes mandatory once agreed or referenced in the contract.
The NSAB is under review and will be released in 2027. It offers a cost-effective solution to avoid disputes in multimodal transport and is less legally complex than other documents. Click here to view the NSAB in English.
Ms. Maria Lisetska,
Head of Commercial Law, Norwegian Freight Forwarders Association