2011年10月14日 星期五

試析「船舶貨物裝卸承攬契約」之重要條款(肆)

玖、【責任、補償與責任限制(Liability, Indemnity and Limitation of Liability)】:
(建議條文一):
Contractor’s Liabilities and Indemnity:
Without prejudice to:
- remedies for specific performance of any obligation under this Agreement; and,
- rights of termination expressly set out in this Agreement,

The remedy of the Customer in respect of any act or omission or negligence or breach/default of the Contractor or of its servants, agents or sub-contractors under or connected to this Agreement shall, with the exception of personal injury to or death of third parties or any willful acts and misconduct of the Contractor or of its servants, agents and sub-contractors, be for damages(s) in contract and in lieu of (and not cumulative with) any other rights in tort.

The Customer shall notify the Contractor without under delay upon becoming aware or any matter which gives rise to or may give rise to a claim for loss or damage(s) under this Agreement stating in reasonable detail the nature of the matter and claim, and so far as practicable, the amount claimed.
(譯文):
碼頭公司的責任與補償:
在不影響本約攸關責任履行所生的補償,與終止權的情況下,因為碼頭公司、其雇員、代理人,或次承攬人的作為、不作為、過失或違約行為造成客戶損失的補償責任,將祇限於契約上所載的損失,而不包括或累計其他因為侵權行為所得主張的權利(對於第三者所造成的人身傷亡,或因為碼頭公司、其雇員、代理人,或次承攬人的故意失當行為,則不在此限)。

客戶應該於知悉毀損或滅失事件發生或可能發生的情況下,立即通知碼頭公司攸關事件的本質與可能會索賠的金額。

(建議條文二):
The Contractor shall be liable for and shall indemnify the Customer against any liability for claims or legal actions of any kind, including costs and expenses incidental thereto, in respect of:
(a) loss of, damage to and/or delay in delivery of any Customer Containers whilst in the custody and/or control of the Contractor, its servants, agents or sub-contractors;
(b) loss of, damage to and/or delay in delivery of any Cargo in the charge of the Customer, its agent, sub-contractors or their assignees whilst in the custody and/or control of the Contractor, its servants, agents or sub-contractors;
(c) loss of or damage to and/or delay to any Customer Container Ship (including, but not limited to, gear and other equipment) whilst at the Terminal;
(d) loss of, damage to and/or delay in delivery of any Hazardous Cargo in the custody and/or control of the Contractor, its servants, agents or sub-contractors; and
(e) injury or death to any person including where caused by or arising out of bad stowage of and in Containers stuffed by the Contractor, its servants, agents or sub-contractors

caused, in each case, by the breach/default or negligence of the Contractor, its servants, agents or sub-contractors.
(譯文):
碼頭公司應對於以下情況所產生的索賠責任或訴訟案件(包括費用與支出項目)對客戶負擔補償責任:

(a) 在碼頭公司、其雇員、代理人,或次承攬人管領範圍內的客戶貨櫃,發生滅失、毀損,及(或)遲延交付;
(b) 在碼頭公司、其雇員、代理人,或次承攬人管領範圍內,對於客戶、其代理人、次承攬人,或受讓人所負責處理的貨物,造成滅失、毀損,及(或)遲延交付;
(c) 客戶貨櫃船停泊在碼頭時,所發生的滅失、毀損,及(或)遲延(包括,但不限於,起重吊桿及其他設備);
(d) 在碼頭公司、其雇員、代理人,或次承攬人管領範圍內,對於「危險貨品」所造成的滅失、毀損,及(或)遲延;及
(e) 因碼頭公司、其雇員、代理人,或次承攬人不正確的貨櫃堆疊,所導致的人員傷亡。

以上每一情況的發生均係因為碼頭公司、其雇員、代理人,或次承攬人的違約或過失所造成的。

(建議條文三):
The maximum liability of the Contractor to the Customer in relation to each incident shall:
(a) in the case of loss of, damage to and/or delay in delivery of any Customer Containers be the lesser of either the depreciated value of the Container or the actual cost of repair, if in the Customer’s absolute discretion the affected Container is repairable, provided that in no-circumstances shall the liability exceed:

Two thousand five hundred US Dollars (USD 2,500) in the case of any regular 20’ dry Container;
Three thousand nine hundred US Dollars (USD 3,900) in the case of any regular dry Container of more than 20’ in length;
Twenty five thousand US Dollars (USD 25,000) in the case of any 20” reefer Container; and
Twenty eight thousand US Dollars (USD 28,000) in the case of any reefer Container of more than 20” in length:

The depreciated value of the Container shall be calculated on the basis of the respective value above with a straight line depreciation of 5.5% per annum from the date of manufacturing as per the Container’s container safety certificate until the day before the incident. However, the depreciation value shall in no circumstances be less than 40% of the respective value above.
(b) in the case of loss of or damage to and/or delay to any Customer Container Ship be limited to twenty million US Dollars (USD 20,000,000);
(c) in the case of injury or death to any person be limited to one million US Dollars (USD 1,000,000) per person.

Provided further that, in the cases of loss of, damage to and/or delay in delivery of any Cargo and Hazardous Cargo in no circumstances shall the Contractor’s liability exceed:

 the limits of liability upon which the Customer could rely in a claim brought against it in accordance with the terms and conditions contained within the Customer’s standard bill of lading or other contract of carriage in respect of the Cargo or Hazardous Cargo in question or,
 such other sum as the Customer may finally be adjudged to pay in respect of any cargo liability or, if applicable,
 the Customer Container Ship’s limitation fund

and on the understanding that if the Customer has agreed with any third party to increase the limits of its liability in any bill of lading or other contract of carriage in the case of valuable Cargo, Hazardous Cargo or otherwise, such increased limits shall only apply if the Customer shall have first notified the Contractor of such increased limits and the Contractor has agreed to accept such limits.
(譯文):
針對每一事件,碼頭公司對於客戶所負的最大責任為:
(a) 如果是客戶貨櫃的滅失、毀損或遲延者,則須視貨櫃的折舊價值或實際維修費用孰者為低為準(假設客戶判斷該貨櫃仍能修復的話),但無論如何其賠償責任不得超過:

一般20呎乾櫃 :美金2,500元
超過20呎的一般乾櫃 :美金3,900元
20呎冷凍櫃 :美金25,000元
超過20呎的冷凍櫃 :美金28,000元

貨櫃的折舊價值應依前開標準,自貨櫃出廠取得安全證書之日起,到事件發生的前一天為止,以每年5.5%的直線折舊比例計算,但折舊價值絕對不會低於前開標準的40%。
(b) 如果是客戶貨櫃船舶的滅失、毀損或遲延者,則限於美金2千萬元;
(c) 如果是人員傷亡者,則限於每個人美金1百萬元。

另,針對客戶貨物、危險貨物的滅失、毀損或遲延,碼頭公司的責任將不超過:
 依該貨物或危險貨物的提單或運送契約條款,客戶所得主張的責任限額,或
 客戶得最終自行調整的金額,或
 客戶貨櫃船舶的責任限制基金(如果適用的話)。

且假設客戶在其提單或運送契約上,因為載送高價貨物、危險貨物,或其他因素,而與第三者達成提高其責任限額的決定時,則此一決定僅有在客戶有事先通知且碼頭公司同意接受的情況下,始有適用的餘地。

(建議條文四):
The limitation(s) of liability per incident set out in the above mentioned shall relate to the whole of any losses and/or damages which may arise upon any one distinct occasion, although such losses and/or damages may be sustained by more than one person, and shall apply whether the liability arises at common law or by statute and notwithstanding such common law or anything contained in such statute.

Any liabilities of the Contractor to the Customer under this Agreement shall be limited and/or exempted as follows:

(a) Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, in no circumstances shall the Contractor be liable to the Customer for any indirect or consequential loss or damages incurred or suffered by the Customer including, but not limited to, loss of business, loss of earnings or profits;
(b) The Customer shall make no claim against the Contractor for an amount less than US$500 (five hundred United States dollars) for any single incident or series of incidents arising from a common cause;
(c) Unless stuffed and/or packed by the Contractor, the Contractor shall not be liable for loss or damage to any Cargo caused by insufficient protection or packing of the Cargo within the Container;
(d) The Customer shall not make any claim or allegation against any employee or agent of the Contractor which imposes or attempts to impose upon any such person any liability whatsoever or howsoever arising including any liability for negligence in connection with the Cargo or their carriage or handling, the provision of Terminal services or actions or omissions of any visitor of the Customer; and
(e) The Customer shall incorporate in its bill of lading to be issued for all Cargo carried by the Customer and loaded or discharged at the Container Terminal, a term providing that the Contractor shall be entitled to the benefit of all defences and limitations of liability, to the extent they are available to the Customer.
(譯文):
前開條款中每一事件的責任限額,均與每一單一個案所產生的毀損及(或)滅失有關,雖然毀損(或)滅失可能會影響不止一個人,亦會適用普遍法或成文法攸關的責任規定(不論普通法或成文法的規定如何)。

凡本約中碼頭公司對於客戶所負的責任,將會依以下規定限制及(或)排除之:

(a) 除本約另有明文規定外,碼頭公司絕不對於任何間接、結果性的毀損或滅失向客戶負責,包括,但不限於,營業上的損失,及收入或利潤上的損失。
(b) 凡因一般原因所造成的單一事件或一連串事件的賠償金額,少於美金500元者,客戶同意不向碼頭公司進行索賠。
(c) 除非係由碼頭公司進行貨物的裝填,否則碼頭公司針對貨櫃內因為包裝不當或保護不足所造成的貨物毀損或滅失,並不負擔任何責任。
(d) 客戶不得向碼頭公司的受僱人或代理人進行任何訴訟或索賠程序,企圖要求這些人對於貨物運送或處理上的過失、碼頭所提供的服務,或客戶的訪客的作為或不作為所造成的損失負責。
(e) 針對在本貨櫃碼頭裝卸運送的貨物,客戶應於提單中加註碼頭公司亦得主張其所得享有的責任限制條款及抗辯。

(說明):
「責任、補償與責任限制」條款,可以說是「船舶貨物裝卸承攬契約」中最重要,且最具關鍵性的部分,因為在這項條款裡會把碼頭公司在履行貨物裝卸承攬契約時,應負的責任與補償的最大範圍(包括契約的另一方,即攸關客戶責任與補償的部分),在這裡作清楚與明白的敘述,好讓雙方(包括保險公司在內)均能夠事先瞭解,以評估風險。

首先,條款中針對碼頭公司對於客戶所應該負的責任即開宗明義地限制在所謂「違約責任」(the Breach Contract Liability)的範圍內,並不包括所謂的「侵權行為責任」部分(the Tort Liability)(除非係攸關第三者的人員傷亡事件,或碼頭公司本身的故意失當行為所造成的,始有涉及「侵權行為」的問題)。另,針對客戶的貨櫃、亦或是貨物,凡祇要係置放於碼頭公司的管領範圍內所發生的滅失、毀損或遲延,碼頭公司均需對此負責。祇是其前提仍必須是碼頭公司在履約時有過失者,始得為之。在前開「過失責任」前提成立下,碼頭公司對於客戶的貨櫃、船舶,與人員傷亡的損害賠償限額,亦明文設定「限額」。針對客戶的貨物或危險貨物滅失、毀損的賠償額度,亦限制在客戶提單所訂定的賠償限額內。最後,針對事故損失在美金500元以內的話,客戶亦同意放棄主張,以減少契約雙方在文書作業上所產生的時間與費用浪費(待續)。

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