IntroductionThere is no denying the fact that the current global economy, or any economy, is strictly dependent on the facilitation of adequate and reliable transportation of goods, services and people (United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2010). As CEPAL (2010) continues to state, adequate facilitation of the transport of goods and people within or to and from a particular territory reduces costs in terms of logistics, while increasing the competitiveness and productivity of the economy global. It is important to note the fact that the movement of goods both domestically and internationally is affected or affected by both external and internal factors which include monetary, physical or legal flows. The interest of this contribution is, so to speak, mainly aimed at the analysis of the legal provisions or factors that come into play regarding the transport of goods via international waterways. Therefore, the purpose of this document is to present an analytical review of the advantages and disadvantages of the United Nations Conventions on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea, also known as the Rotterdam Rules. The document will also make specific recommendations to the Minister of Transport of Angola on whether or not Angola should become party to this new convention and regime regulating the transportation of goods by sea. Overview of the existing national maritime regime in Angola The maritime industry of Angola is currently governed by the Hamburg and Hague-Visby Rules of 1978 and 1968 respectively. According to African Marketing (2014), the current maritime legislation in Angola depicts the importation or ...... means of card ......g/seaview_doc/SV_96/An%20Analysis%20of%20Carrier%27s%20Obligation %20to%20Delivery%20of%20Goods%20under%20le%20Rotterdam%20Rules.pdfThe United Nations Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean. (2010). Transport facilitation from the perspective of the Rotterdam rules. CELAC. Accessed July 19, 2014, from http://www.cepal.org/transporte/noticias/bolfall/7/42007/FAL-283-WEB-ENG.pdfThe CMI International Working Group. (2009). Questions and answers on the Rotterdam rules. Rotterdam Rules. Accessed July 19, 2014, from http://www.rotterdamrules.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Questions%20and%20Answers%20on%20the%20Rotterdam%20Rules.pdfUniGroup Relocation. (2010). International shipping and customs regulations for Angola. UniGroup transfer. Accessed July 19, 2014 from http://www.unigrouprelocation.com/PDFStorage/UGWW/customs_restrictions_Angola.pdf