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(柒)

拾伍、【違約情事(Events of Default)】:
(建議條文一):
The following shall constitute Events of Default on the part of a Party to this Agreement:
(a) Failure by a Party to observe any term, condition or provision of this Agreement, including but not limited to, any breach of a representation, warranty, undertaking or obligation contained herein after having been given not less than fourteen (14) days written notice from the non-defaulting Party asking the defaulting Party to rectify the same;
(b) A petition is filed, or an order made, or an effective resolution passed, for the compulsory or voluntary winding-up or dissolution of a party (other than for the purposes of amalgamation or reconstruction in respect of which prior written notice has been received from the other Party) or any proceedings analogous to winding up proceedings are begun in any jurisdiction in relation a Party or if a Party suspends payment of, or is unable to or admits inability to pay its debts in general as they fall due or makes any special arrangement or composition with creditors generally or any class of its creditors;
(c) An administrator, administrative receiver, receiver or trustee or similar official is appointed over the whole, or material part, of the property, assets or undertaking of a Party or if a Party applies for, or consents to, any such appointment;
(d) An encumbrance takes possession of, or distress or execution is levied upon, the whole or a material part, of the property, assets or undertaking of a Party; or
(e) A Party ceases, or threatens to cease, to carry on its business, or disposes or threatens to dispose of a material part of its properties, assets or undertakings, or such a part is seized, nationalized, appropriated or compulsorily purchased by or under the authority of any government whether de jure or de facto.
(譯文):
以下將構成契約當事人一方的違約情事:
(a) 在未違約方以不少於14天的書面通知要求補正後,違約的一方仍無法遵守本約的約定,包括但不限於違反本約的聲明(representation)、保證(warranty)、承諾(undertaking),或責任(obligation)事項。
(b) 一項強制性或自願性的解散(winding-up)或清算(dissolution)聲請、命令,或有效決議已被提出、發布,或作成(但為了公司合併(amalgamation)或重整(reconstruction)的目的,且已經收到事前書面通知者,則不在此限),或其他被解讀成解散程序已經開始的程序,或有暫停付款、無法付款,或承認無力償付一般性到期債務的現象,或其與一般債權人或其他有優先受償債權人有為特別安排或整合的情況發生。
(c) 管理人、行政上清算人、清算人或受託人,或其他類似人員已被指定,來管理一方全部,或主要部分資產,或契約一方聲請或同意前開人員的指定。
(d) 一方的所有或主要資產有被設定負擔、擔保,或被聲請強制執行的情形。
(e) 一方停止或可能停止營業,或處置或可能處置其主要資產,或其被政府機構(無論係法律上的(de jure)或者是事實上的(de facto)政府機構)扣押、國營化、侵吞,或強制收購。

(建議條文二):
Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default, the non-defaulting Party may give written notice of the Event of Default to the defaulting Party. Such notice shall set forth in adequate detail the nature of the Event of Default and, in the case of Events of Default which the non defaulting Party considers are capable of remedy, the steps necessary to rectify such event of Default. Following the giving of such notice of an Event of Default, the Parties agree, in respect of Events of Default under Clause (a) above which the non-defaulting Party considers capable of remedy, to consult for a period of up to fourteen (14) days (or such longer period as the Parties may agree) as to what steps shall be taken to cure or mitigate the consequences of the Event of Default in question.

The non-defaulting Party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving the defaulting Party no less than seven (7) days written notice either on giving notice under above mentioned clause or, in respect of Events of Default Clause (a) which the non-defaulting Party considers capable of remedy, following the expiry of the consultation period set out in the above mentioned clause.

In respect of Events of Default under Clause (b)-(e) above, the non-defaulting Party may terminate the Agreement instantly against written notice to such effect to the defaulting Party.
(譯文):
發生違約情事,未違約的一方得以書面通知違約的一方。前開通知應適當地敘明違約情事的本質,與補救的措施(假設該情事在未違約的一方認為係可以補救的話)。在前開通知發出後,針對前開違約情況(a),在未違約方認為可補救的情況下,契約雙方同意在14天內(或其他同意更長的期間)彼此協商出一補救或減少違約影響的措施。

未違約的一方在前開通知出具時,或針對前開違約情況(a),在協商期間終止後,得終止本契約的繼續履行。

至於違約情況(b)至(e),則未違約方得立即以書面的通知終止本契約的繼續履行。

(說明):
「違約情事」條款在一般契約中,大多會依違約的類型予以分門別類,針對若干不是太「嚴重」的違約情事,似均會給予所謂的「寬限期間」(grace period)予以補救(譬如說:前開範例條款中的(a)類即為適例)。至於比較嚴重的違約情事,譬如說:強制性或自願性的解散、清算公司,則似無給予寬限期間的必要,契約當事人遇有此一情況,即得立即選擇終止契約的繼續履行。

總而言之,「違約情事」條款可說係屬於一般性的條款,在多數契約中均可以看的見。然當事人首應注意者,乃對於若干屬於管理學上的「組織再造」,或集團公司內部整合合併的情況,建議可以預先給予豁免,以避免這種情況亦被誤認為係屬於「違約」,進而導致啟動「違約情事」機制的一連串動作。

拾陸、【不可抗力(Force Majeure)】:
(建議條文一):
The Parties shall be excused from performing all or part of their obligations under this Agreement, shall not be deemed to be in breach of any of their obligations hereunder and shall not be liable for any breach of their obligations hereunder, if and to the extent that, they are unable to perform or are prevented from performing their respective obligations hereunder by reason of an Event of Force Majeure which has been notified by the Party affected by the Event of Majeure to the other.

Notwithstanding the above mentioned clause the Parties shall:
(a) make all reasonable efforts to prevent or minimize and thereafter mitigate any delays or costs occasioned by any Event of Force Majeure, including recourse to alternative acceptable sources of services, equipment and materials; and
(b) use their best efforts to ensure the earliest possible resumption of normal performance of this Agreement and any related agreements after the occurrence of any Event of Force Majeure and perform their obligations hereunder and thereunder to the maximum extent practicable.
(譯文):
假如在某種程度上,契約當事人因為已經宣告的不可抗力事件導致無法履行或被迫無法履行其各自的責任者,其即毋庸履行本約中所有或部分的責任,同時也不會被視為係違反約定或應為此負責。

雖有前開規定,契約當事人應:
(a) 盡所有合理的努力去避免、縮小,與控制任何因不可抗力事件所導致的遲延或費用,包括向其他可接受的替代性服務、設備與材料進行追索,及
(b) 盡最大努力以確保本契約及其他相關契約,在發生不可抗力事件後,早日回歸正常運作,與盡最大的可能去履行各自的責任。

(建議條文二):
Notwithstanding the above mentioned clause, no relief shall be granted to a Party pursuant to this Clause to the extent that such failure or delay in performance would have nevertheless been experienced by such Party had the relevant Event of Force Majeure not occurred.

If the Contractor cannot provide all or a substantial part of the Container Terminal Service or otherwise substantively perform its obligations under this Agreement as a result of an Event of Force Majeure for a period exceeding sixty (60) days, or such shorter or longer period as may be agreed by the Parties in writing, then either Party may terminate this Agreement by notice in writing to the other provided always that if, as a result of an Event of Force Majeure it is likely, in the Customer’s reasonable opinion, that all or a substantial part of the Container Terminal Services are likely to be materially affected and not performed by the Contractor in accordance with this Agreement within such sixty (60) day period then the Customer shall be entitled, in its sole discretion, to freely switch the affected part of its operation and Container and Cargo volumes to an alternative terminal or terminals to prevent from suffering further loss and/or damage arising from the Event of Force Majeure for as long as the Event of Force Majeure persists.

Notwithstanding the above mentioned clause, neither Party shall be entitled to claim or collect any damages, proceed to exercise its right of termination or suspend performance, or proceed to exercise its rights to serve a notice of an Event of Default while the applicability, nature or effect of an Event of Force Majeure is disputed by the other Party hereunder.
(譯文):
雖有前開規定,但假設攸關的不可抗力事件並未發生,亦未有所謂違約或遲延履行的情況發生,則不會有前開豁免的適用。

假設碼頭公司因不可抗力事件,導致無法提供所有或主要部分的貨櫃碼頭服務超過60天(或其他雙方書面同意較短或較長的期間),則任何一方均得以書面通知他方終止本約的繼續履行,但祇要是在客戶合理的判斷下因為類似不可抗力事件的發生,所有或主要部分的貨櫃碼頭服務可能嚴重地會受到影響,導致碼頭公司無法在前開60天內依約履行的話,則客戶即得以自有的判斷,自行轉換其受影響的部分,與調整貨櫃與貨物的總量到其他替代碼頭,以防阻更進一步的損失繼續擴大。

縱有前開規定,但祇要對於不可抗力事件的適用、本質,或影響,雙方若仍有爭執的話,則任何一方即不得針對損害、保險金要求賠償或收受、暫停履行,或依約簽發違約通知。

(說明):
所謂的「不可抗力」,顧名思義即事件之所以發生,已超乎雙方所得控制的範圍,是其造成合約的無法繼續履行,但當事人均毋庸對此負責。雖然如此,但雙方當事人仍應盡所有合理的努力,去防阻或縮小任何因為不可抗力事件所造成的遲延或費用;並盡最大的努力去回復損害發生前的原狀。

另,值得一提的是(雖然在一般「不可抗力」條款中,常常是被忽略的部分):假設不可抗力事件已經持續將近60天(或其他當事人所同意的天數),則授權合約的任何一方均有權終止合約的繼續履行。此舉等於給了雙方當事人一個下台階,究竟會造成此一現象,並不能歸咎於任一合約當事人,所以適時地給予當事人可以跳脫困境的機會,可說是一「立意甚佳」的舉動(待續)。

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