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How does an inherent vice in goods affect responsibility for cargo damage?

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Mosaic portrait of Emperor Justinian I with a jeweled crown and halo, from the 6th-century Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. — Carriage of goods Justinian I, detail of a 6th-century mosaic at the Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy.

In the context of the carriage of goods, an inherent vice is recognized as an excepted cause that can relieve a carrier of liability for damage or loss. An inherent vice refers to a latent default or defect within the goods themselves that, through its natural development, leads to the injury or destruction of the cargo.1

Because this is considered an excepted cause, a carrier is generally not held responsible for damage resulting from such internal defects. However, this protection is not absolute. If a carrier contributes to the loss through their own negligence or intentional misconduct, they remain liable for the damage despite the presence of an inherent vice. In such instances, the burden of proof shifts to the plaintiff to demonstrate that the carrier’s fault contributed to the loss. This principle applies across both common-law and civil-law jurisdictions, where the inherent nature of the cargo serves as a valid defense against claims of carrier liability.1