Paramount Clause - General [All Bills of Lading under this Charter Party shall contain the following clauses] The International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading signed at Brussels on 25 August 1924 (“the Hague Rules”) as amended by the Protocol signed at Brussels on 23 February 1968 (“the Hague-Visby Rules”) and as enacted in the country of shipment shall apply to this Contract. When the Hague-Visby Rules are not enacted in the country of shipment, the corresponding legislation of the country of destination shall apply, irrespective of whether such legislation may only regulate outbound shipments.  When there is no enactment of the Hague-Visby Rules in either the country of shipment or in the country of destination, the Hague-Visby Rules shall apply to this Contract save where the Hague Rules as enacted in the country of shipment or if no such enactment is in place, the Hague Rules as enacted in the country of destination apply compulsorily to this Contract. The Protocol signed at Brussels on 21 December 1979 (“the SDR Protocol 1979”) shall apply where the Hague-Visby Rules apply, whether mandatorily or by this Contract. The Carrier shall in no case be responsible for loss of or damage to cargo arising prior to loading, after discharging, or while the cargo is in the charge of another carrier, or with respect to deck cargo and live animals. Source:  BIMCO Published:  1997   US Paramount Clause [In all bills of lading to or from USA ports the following clause should be used.] This bill of lading shall have effect subject to the provisions of the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act of the United States, approved 16 April 1936, which shall be deemed to be incorporated herein, and nothing herein contained shall be deemed a surrender by the carrier of any of its rights or immunities or an increase of any of its responsibilities or liabilities under said Act. The provisions stated in said Act shall ‘except as