Legal Certainty Across Global Transport & Supply Chains
Transport and logistics law sits at the core of international trade,
governing the movement of goods across borders,
jurisdictions, and transport modes. As global supply chains grow more
complex and exposed to regulatory,
geopolitical, and operational risk, transportation has become a strategic
legal discipline rather than a purely
operational function.
Mermeroglu Legal advises carriers, logistics operators, freight forwarders,
cargo owners, insurers, and investors on
the legal structuring, risk management, and dispute resolution aspects of
international transport and logistics
operations. The firm’s approach focuses on aligning contractual frameworks,
mandatory liability regimes, and
insurance structures with commercial realities across jurisdictions.
Maritime Transport
Maritime transport remains the backbone of global trade and is governed by a
complex interaction of international
conventions, national maritime laws, and contractual arrangements. Legal
issues commonly arise from bills of lading,
charter party agreements, carrier liability, cargo damage, delay, demurrage,
detention, maritime accidents, salvage,
and general average.
Mermeroglu Legal advises on the structuring and enforcement of maritime
contracts, allocation of liability under
applicable conventions, and dispute resolution involving shipowners,
charterers, cargo interests, and insurers.
Advisory work covers both preventive risk management and complex
cross-border disputes.
Road Transport (CMR)
International road transport is primarily governed by the mandatory CMR Convention, which strictly regulates carrier liability for loss, damage, and delay. Legal disputes frequently arise from delivery conditions, documentation, notice requirements, liability limitations, and insurance coverage. Mermeroglu Legal advises carriers, freight forwarders, and cargo interests on CMR-compliant contract structuring, claims handling, liability assessment, and dispute resolution in cross-border road transport operations.
Rail Transport (CIM / COTIF)
International rail transport is governed by the CIM Rules under the COTIF Convention, establishing a uniform liability and documentation regime across participating states. Rail transport disputes often involve successive carriers, infrastructure-related delays, and strict procedural requirements. The firm advises on rail carriage contracts, carrier liability for loss, damage, and delay, documentation compliance, and disputes arising along international rail corridors connecting Europe, Türkiye, and Eurasia.
Multimodal Transport
Multimodal transport involves multiple transport modes under a single contractual framework, creating complex liability and jurisdictional challenges. In the absence of a single binding international convention, liability often depends on damage localization, contractual allocation, and applicable mode-specific regimes. Mermeroglu Legal advises on the structuring of multimodal transport contracts, allocation of liability across transport legs, and dispute resolution in non-localized loss and delay scenarios.
Logistics Contracts & Risk Management
Modern logistics operations extend beyond carriage and involve warehousing, handling, distribution, and supply chain coordination. Poorly structured logistics contracts frequently result in disputes over liability, subcontracting, force majeure, sanctions exposure, and insurance coverage. Mermeroglu Legal advises on drafting and negotiating logistics and distribution agreements, risk allocation mechanisms, force majeure and hardship clauses, and alignment between contractual liability and insurance programs.
Insurance & Claims Management
Transport and logistics operations rely heavily on cargo insurance, carrier liability insurance, and warehousekeeper’s liability coverage. Effective claims management requires coordination between contractual liability regimes, mandatory conventions, and insurance policies. The firm advises on loss and damage claims, recovery and subrogation strategies, and the interaction between transport law conventions and insurance coverage, aiming to minimize uninsured exposure and maximize recovery.
Dispute Resolution
Transport and logistics disputes frequently involve mandatory jurisdiction rules, short limitation periods, and multi-party claims across jurisdictions. Mermeroglu Legal represents clients in litigation, arbitration, and settlement processes arising from transport, logistics, and insurance disputes. Dispute strategies are designed to protect commercial continuity while ensuring enforceable outcomes under applicable international conventions and national laws.
Integrated Approach
Mermeroglu Legal approaches transport and logistics law through an integrated model combining transport conventions, contract law, regulatory compliance, insurance strategy, and dispute resolution. This enables clients to manage cross-border transport risk effectively while maintaining legally secure and efficient supply chain operations.