「接駁運送人協議書」釋疑（壹）

壹、【前言】：
所謂「Connecting Carrier Agreement」（接駁運送人協議書），顧名思義乃係指（至少）兩個運送人之間的協議，而主要適用的情形係因一般「班輪運送人」（或相對於「接駁運送人」，我們稱之為「主航線運送人」（the Mainline Carrier））為維持其船期的妥適性，通常祇會停泊在主要的港口，而貨物由主要港口轉送到最後目的地的任務，即會委託所謂的「接駁運送人」（the Connecting Carrier）擔綱。這時候「接駁運送人」係代替「主航線運送人」履行「主航線運送人」所出具載貨證券（提單）上的運送義務，可謂係擔任「主要港口（中間地）」與「最後目的地」之間的「橋樑」 。

本文擬就常見的「接駁運送人協議書」重要條款，逐條剖析並提出修改建議，同時並引美國紐約南區地區法院（the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York）針對「接駁運送人協議書」所生爭議，而為的實務見解輔以說明。

貳、【準據法與管轄法院的選擇】：
APPLICABLE LAW（準據法）:
This Agreement and any and all disputes under this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the English Law.
（本接駁運送人協議書暨其所生的爭執，悉受英國法的管轄暨依其解釋辦理）。

JURISDICTION（管轄法院）：
The Connecting Carrier irrevocably agrees that it will appear, accept legal process and not contest jurisdiction in any law suit in which the Mainline Carrier is named as a defendant and which relates to claims arising out of the carriage of the Mainline Carrier's cargo aboard the Connecting Carrier's vessel pursuant to this Agreement or out of any incident occurring while the Mainline Carrier's cargo and containers are deemed to be in the Connecting Carrier's custody. Any question as to whether the Mainline Carrier's cargo or containers are in the Connecting Carrier's custody shall be subject to the legal interpretation applicable in the Court or forum hearing the applicable claim. Except as provided above, the Connecting Carrier agrees that any disputes arising out of this Agreement are subject to jurisdiction in the English Courts and the Connecting Carrier irrevocably agrees that any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement may be instituted in the aforesaid Court and the Connecting Carrier hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by law any objection which it may have now or hereafter to the laying of venue, jurisdiction or forum non convenient of such suit, action or proceedings and irrevocably submits generally and unconditionally to the jurisdiction of the aforesaid Court, provided that if the Mainline Carrier is sued in a jurisdiction other than the English Courts in regard to claims arising out of the loading, stowing, carriage and discharge of its cargo and containers, the Connecting Carrier agrees to accept service of legal process, appear in said jurisdiction and waive any defenses of jurisdiction, forum non convenient or venue and shall irrevocably submit generally and unconditionally to the jurisdiction of any such Court.
（接駁運送人在此不可撤銷地同意，其會在主航線運送人因為貨物依照本協議書而在接駁運送人的船上所發生的毀損，或貨物與櫃子被視為在接駁運送人管領範圍內所發生的意外事故，而成為被告時，擔任主航線運送人的「送達代收人」，且不會針對管轄權的部分提出抗辯。主航線運送人的貨物或櫃子是否係在接駁運送人的管領範圍內，悉依管轄法院所為的解釋為準。除了前面所提及的例外情形外，接駁運送人同意任何因本協議書所發生的爭議，悉受英國法院的管轄。接駁運送人在此不可撤銷地同意，任何因本協議書所發生的訴訟案件、行為或程序，皆得在前開法院為之。另，接駁運送人在法律所得允許的最大範圍內，不可撤銷地放棄其現在或未來得對前開訴訟案件、行為或程序，關於管轄法院、地點或法庭不便原則等表示反對的立場，且不可撤銷、無條件地全面同意接受前開法院的管轄。但主航線運送人如果係在英國法院以外的地區，因為貨物與櫃子的裝載、堆存，運送與卸載等事由被提起告訴的話，接駁運送人亦同意擔任送達代收人、在前開地區出庭，暨放棄任何有關管轄、法庭不便或法院地點的抗辯，並不可撤銷、無條件地全面接受前開法院的管轄）。

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參、【保險的安排】：
INSURANCE（保險條款）：
The Connecting Carrier shall at all times maintain policies of insurance for P & I or charterer's liability, as may be applicable, war risk, where applicable, and hull, equipment and machinery under conditions and in amounts satisfactory to the Mainline Carrier and shall provide all necessary proofs and certificates to the Mainline Carrier upon request evidencing that such insurance is in effect. The failure by the Mainline Carrier to request proofs and/or certificates of said insurance shall not release the Connecting Carrier from his obligation to have such insurance in effect during the entire period of this Agreement. The Connecting Carrier shall notify the Mainline Carrier in writing prior to at least fourteen (14) days if such insurance is cancelled by the insurance company.
（接駁運送人應該隨時為船東互保責任、可能適用的（租）傭船人責任、戰爭險，與船舶、設備及機具險等，購買能夠讓主航線運送人滿意的足額保險，並在受到要求時，提供有效的保險證明文件。若未能夠應前開要求而提供保險證明者，其仍不能免除接駁運送人在協議書有效期間內，應購買前開保險的責任。另，接駁運送人應該於前開保險將被保險公司取消至少14天前，以書面的方式通知主航線運送人）。

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肆、【船舶的適航】：
Seaworthiness（適航性）：
The Connecting Carrier guarantees that the hull, equipment and machinery of every vessel to be used in the performance of this Agreement are, and will be and will continue to be for the duration of this Agreement in a thoroughly efficient state and classed Lloyds A-1, or comparable class, if registered with a recognized Classification Society other than Lloyds.
（接駁運送人保證其依本協議書所提供的船體、設備及機具，現在及在本協議書有效期間內，均會符合勞氏驗船協會的A-1等級，或可與其匹配的標準（假設登記在非勞氏驗船協會的其他知名驗船協會下））。

The Connecting Carrier guarantees that any vessel deployed in the services provided to the Mainline Carrier, either owned, chartered, shared with third parties or in which the Connecting Carrier is just a slot charter shall comply with the provisions of the International Ship and Port facility Security, as per the SOLAS code, Chapter XI-2 adopted by IMO in December 2002.
（接駁運送人保證其依本協議書所提供的船舶，不論該船舶係自有、或者是（租）傭船，或者是與第三人共用，或者是接駁運送人僅僅祇是一艙位租用人而已，其均會遵守IMO（國際海事組織，International Maritime Organization）在西元2002年12月依SOLAS（海上人命安全公約，International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea）第XI-2章所採用的ISPS（國際船舶與港口設施保安規則，International Ship and Port Facility Security）相關規定）。

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（待續）。