The far-reaching impact of the Trump tariffs highlights the importance of having the right paperwork in place, says Pauline H Kumlehn, partner in the Cape Town office of Shepstone & Wylie Attorneys.
“Contractual commitments undertaken in these uncertain times can benefit from prudent consideration of the underlying agreements between parties.
“For instance, contracts of affreightment, which include provisions (such as so-called hardship clauses), will assist a party where performance, although not impossible, becomes unusually onerous.
“Citrus growers of the Western Cape have firsthand experience, with tariff hikes touted by the United States leaving South African exporters unable to compete with competitors in other regions, such as South America,” she told Freight News.
- Read the full article in our Freight Features edition focussing on "The Cape".