5.1 In the CMC 1992, a contract of carriage of goods1 by sea is a contract under which the carrier, against payment of freight, undertakes to carry by sea the goods contracted for shipment by the shipper from one port to another.2 The carriage of goods by sea in the CMC 1992 includes sea-to-river and river-to-sea direct transport but not coastal traffic, and the provisions concerning the bill of lading do not apply to the maritime transport of goods between the ports of China.3 The Contract Law 1999 applies to the coastal and inland water carriage of goods.