The Eurymedon principle enabling third parties to rely on contractual exemption clauses applies to consulting engineering contracts, not only maritime contexts. Directors and employees of a contracting company can rely on limitation clauses expressed to protect employees where the four Eurymedon conditions are met, including where agency authority is inferred from the directors' role in negotiating the contract. A contractual clause requiring claims to be commenced within a specified period of 'completion of the services' operates by reference to when the consultant has done all the contract required, not when the designed works achieve a particular result; negligent performance is still performance for this purpose. 'Commence any claim' means to assert a right or demand recompense by communication to the person held responsible, and does not require institution of legal proceedings.
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