(编者按:2022年10月BIMCO发布了《统一杂货租船合同2022版》(简称金康2022)。各路大咖对该标准合同条款的内容进行了精准解读,小编现以系列课题的形式对主要变动内容逐条进行分析,与君共勉。)
金康94第一条:
It is agreed between the party mentioned in Box 3 as the owners of the vessel named in Box 5, of the GT/NT indicated in box 6 and carrying about the number of metric tons of deadweight capacity all told on summer loadline stated in Box 7, now in position as stated in Box 8 and expected ready to load under this charter party about the date indicated in Box 9, and the party mentioned as the Charterers in Box 4 that: The said vessel shall, as soon as her prior commitments have been completed, proceed to the loading port(s) or place(s) stated in Box 10 or so near thereto as she may safely get and lie always afloat, and there load a full and complete cargo (if shipment of deck cargo agreed same to be at the Charterers’ risk and responsibility) as stated in Box 12, which the Charterers bind themselves to ship, and being so loaded the vessel shall proceed to the discharging port(s) or place(s) stated in Box 11 as ordered on signing Bills of lading, or so near thereto as she may safely get and lie always afloat, and there deliver the cargo.
金康2022第一条:
1.Scope of Contract Voyage
It is agreed between the Owners and the Charterers that:
the Vessel now at the position stated in Box 8 and expected ready to commence loading under this Charter Party on or about the date stated in Box 9 shall, unless prevented or hindered by events beyond the Owners’ control, commence its approach voyage to the port or place stated in Box 10 as soon as its prior commitments have been completed, or if more than one port or place or a range of ports or places is stated, to the first port or place, or so near thereto as it may safely get and lie always afloat; and
the Charterers shall ship and the Vessel shall carry the Cargo stated in Box 12; and
Upon completion of loading, the Vessel shall proceed to the discharging port(s) or place(s) stated in Box 11, or, if a range of ports or places is stated, to the nominated port(s) or place(s), or so near thereto as it may safely get and lie always afloat, and there deliver the Cargo.
从上可以看出,新旧条款内容有如下变动:
本条新增了名称“Scope of Contract Voyage”;
本条将原条款内容拆分为三个分条款,看起来更为明晰;
分条款(a)中,在船东“as soon as her prior commitments have been completed”合同义务的基础上加了“unless prevented or hindered by events beyond the owners’ control”这一前提,明确了船东不承担非船东原因而导致船舶未能及时开启预备航次的违约责任。本条修改主要是为了应对Monroe Brothers Limited v Ryan [1935] 2 KB 28及The Pacific Voyage [2018] EWCA Civ.2413案中出现的争议。
在Monroe Brothers Limited v Ryan [1935] 2 KB 28先例中,双方签署的航次租约约定装港为汉堡港,预计可装船时间(ERTL/expected readiness to load)为1933年9月11日。租约还约定船舶“shall with all convenient speed proceed to Hamburg … and there load …”. 由于天气原因,该轮未能及时开启前往汉堡港的预备航次(approach voyage)。租家主张船东违约并索赔。英国上诉法院判决,当出租人在航次租约中承担合理速遣或尽速遣航前往装港的义务,而合同中同时规定了ETL/ERTL或ETA,出租人有绝对义务在可合理确定船舶能于ETL/ERTL或ETA抵达的日期开始预备航次。租约中的免责条款在预备航次开始后才能适用。出租人的该义务因此案而得名,即“Monroe义务”。
在The Pacific Voyage [2018] EWCA Civ.2413先例中,双方基于Shellvoy 5标准格式签署了鹿特丹到远东地区的航次租约,租约没有约定租约航次ETL/ERTL或ETA,只约定了解约日(2015年2月4日2359时),此外还列出了目前正在执行航次的预计时间表:
“POSITION: ETA AIN SUKHNA 9 JAN 2015 (PART DISCHARGE)
ETA SUEZ CANAL 10 JAN 2015 (TRANSIT)
ETA SIDI KERIR12 JAN 2015 (RE-LOADING)
ETA ANTIFER 25 JAN 2015 (DISCHARGING)
ALL ABOVE BSS IAGW/WP.” (on the basis if all goes well/weather permitting)
2015年1月12日,该轮在通过苏伊士运河时发生严重的意外事故导致该轮需要进坞修理数月。2月6日,租家解除合同并向船东主张约120万美元的违约赔偿。英国高等法院认为,租约中的正在执行航次ETA与租约航次的装港ETL/ERTL或ETA在本质上并无区别,都能推断出预备航次开始的合理时间,判决船东违反了“Monroe义务”,应当承担相应的违约责任。英国上诉法院支持了一审判决,同时认为如果本案租约中没有上一租约的船舶预计itinerary而只有解约日的话,法律适用将可能不同。
我司建议:
船东在签订航次租约时,尽量不要在租约中列出船舶目前航次的itinerary和租约航次的预计itinerary。如果确实需要列出时,建议在Fixture Note中加入类似于金康2022第一条的条款或者直接使用金康2022合同文本。
参考文献:
郑睿《航次租约下,出租人应在何时开始履行预备航次?》
Julien Rabeux《The new GENCON 2022 charterparty》
转自:诺亚天泽保险经纪
03-16 来源:石珣 中国船检
03-13 来源:中华人民共和国海事局
05-16 来源:陈维工作室 浦东海事
07-15 来源:青岛海事
10-08 来源:连云港海事
09-08 来源:Capt.Jin 我的航海世界
01-11 来源:航运运价交易SSEFC
11-04 来源: 海事综合服务平台
01-04 来源:青岛海事
09-23 来源:国际航运法律研究