The shipping contract regulations provided for in the Italian Civil Code have now been updated following their inclusion in the process of converting the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) into law (Law Decree 152/2021, December 2021).


One of the key developments was acknowledgement of the strategic role that software plays in the logistics supply chain; this has led to the introduction of clear, transparent rules to minimize the risk of misinterpretation of standards and any disputes between contracting parties. Moreover, obsolete procedures will be revoked and new, already-recognized ones introduced in order to reflect modern international shipping practices.

This upgrade will, above all, streamline business relations between import/export companies and forwarders, who will finally see their role as "international business advisors" acknowledged within the Italian Civil Code.