About the NVV

The Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vervoerrecht (NVV) (Dutch Transport Law Association) was founded on 1 April 1905 as the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Zeerecht (Dutch Maritime Law Association). The members of the first board were Mr E.N. Rahusen, Mr T.M.C. Asser, S.P. van Eeghen, Jhr P.R. Feith, E. Heldring, Mr D. Josephus Jitta, Mr B.C.J. Loder, J. ter Meulen jr., F. Meijerdirck jr., Mr W.L.P.A. Molengraaff, Mr P. Pet, A. Plate, Mr M.J. Pijnappel, B.E. Ruys, Mr A.C. Visser and Mr C.D. Asser jr.

The founding is partly the consequence of the establishment in 1887 in Antwerp of the Comité Maritime International (CMI) by amongst others the aforementioned Mr. T.M.C. Asser. The CMI aims to unify the law in the field of trade and transport law by promoting the creation of national associations of maritime law and the contact between these national associations, now almost 60 in number.

The association is therefore instrumental in the Netherlands in the consultations held by the CMI on the views and wishes of different groups of stakeholders in seagoing shipping. Experts and representatives of these stakeholders work on questionnaires, proposals or drafts regarding international instruments or conventions.

The interest of the association is not limited to maritime law. Already in 1972 a proposal by Mr I.H.Ph. Diederiks-Verschoor to establish an air law division was acceptede, and the name of the association was changed to Nederlandse Vereniging voor Zee- en Luchtrecht (Dutch Maritime and Air Law Association). To broaden the scope further the name of the association was changed to Nederlandse Vereniging voor Zee- en Vervoersrecht (Dutch Maritime and Transport Law Association) in 1975. Under that name the association celebrated its first centenary on 1 April 2005, i.a. by publishing a memorial booklet (in Dutch).

On 1 januari 2016 the association merged with the Vereniging Publiek Vervoerrecht (VPV) (Public Transport Law Association) which had been founded in 1992. The founding board members of the VPV were Mr J.A. van der Kolk, Prof. Mr R. Cleton, Mr P.A.A. Kamphuis, Mr D.M. Andela, Mr G.J. van der Ziel, Mr E.S.J. Snaaijer, L.W. Mooyaart, A. Douma, en Ing H.A.F. van der Werf.

In the course of the merger it was decided to amend the articles of association so that they reflect the equal interest in the public and private law aspects of transport law. The object of the association is now to pursue the promotion of the interest in and the quality of public and private transport law regardless of the mode of transport (sea, inland waters, road, air, rail, pipeline), and all related areas of law (construction of means of transport, infrastructure, insurance, finance, offshore and marine contracting). It also strives for uniformity of the international regulation in these areas of the law. The association is consulted by the Dutch national authorities and by the Comité Maritime International (CMI). The association tries to reach its goals by organizing meetings, presentations and symposia, by encouraging publications, and by participating in the work of the Comité Maritime International.