BILL OF LADING - TERMS AND CONDITIONS
BILL OF LADING - TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. (a) Except as otherwise provided herein, this Bill of Lading shall have effect subject to the provisions of the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act of the United States of America, approved April 16, 1936. which shall be deemed a surrender by the Carrier of any of its rights or immunities or an increase of any of its responsibilities or liabilities
under said Act. The provisions stated in said Act (except as
otherwise specifically provided herein shall govern before loading on and after discharge from the vessel and throughout the entire time the Goods are in the custody of the Carrier. If this Bill of Lading is issued or delivered in a locality where there is in force a compulsorily applicable Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, Ordinance or Statute of a nature similar to the international Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules Relating to Bills of Lading dated at Brussels, August 25, 1924, it shall be subject to the provisions of
said Act. Ordinance or Statute and rules thereto annexed.
(b) The Carrier shall be entitled to the full benefit of, and right to all
limitations of, or exceptions from, liability authorized by any provisions of Sections 30501 to 30512 of Title 46 of the United States Code and amendments thereto and of any other provisions of the laws of the United States or of any other country whose laws
shall apply.
2. In this Bill of Lading:
(a) “Carrier” means and includes: Carrier named on the face side hereof, the vessel, her owner, Master, operator, demise charterer, and if bound hereby, the time charterer and any substitute Carrier whether the owner, operator, charterer or Master shall be acting as
carrier or bailee.
(b) “Vessel” means and includes the ocean vessel on which the Goods are shipped, named on the face hereof, or any substitute vessel, also any feedership, ferry, barge, lighter or any other watercraft used by the Carrier in the performance of this contract;
(c) “Merchant” means and includes the shipper, the consignee, the receiver, the holder of his bill of lading, the owner of the Goods or
person entitled to the possession of the Goods and the servants or agents of any of these.
(d) “Charges” means and includes freight and all expenses and money obligations incurred and payable by the Merchant;
(e) “Goods” means and includes the cargo received from the shipper and described on the face side hereof and any Container not supplied by or on behalf of the Carrier;
(f) “Container” means and includes any container, van, trailer, transportable tank, flat, pallet or any similar article of transport;
(g) “Person” means and includes an individual, corporation,
partnership or other entity as the case may be.
(h) “Participating Carrier” means and shall include any other water, land or air carrier performing any stage of the combined Transport.
3. It is understood and agreed that other than the said Carrier, no person whatsoever (including the Master, officers and crew of the vessel, all
servants, agents employees representatives, and all stevedores, terminal operators, crane operators, watchmen carpenters, ship cleaners, surveyors and other independent contractors whatsoever) is
or shall be deemed to be liable with respect to the goods as carrier, bailee or otherwise howsoever, in contract or in tort. if, however, it should be adjudged that any other than said carrier is under any
responsibility with respect to the Goods, all limitations of and exonerations from liability provided by law or by the terms hereof shall be available to such other persons as herein described in contracting
for the foregoing exemptions, limitations and exonerations from liability, the Carrier is acting as agent and trustee for and on behalf of all persons described above, all whom shall to this extent be deemed to be a party to this contract evidenced by this Bill of Lading. It being always understood that he said beneficiaries are not entitled to any greater or further exemptions, limitations or exonerations from liability
than those that the Carrier has under this Bill of Lading in any given situation.
4. Subject to all rights, privileges and limitations of and exonerations from liability granted to the ocean carrier under this Bill of Lading or by law, any liability by the respective participating carriers for loss or damage
to the Goods or packages carried hereunder shall be governed by the following:
(a) If loss or damage occurs while the goods or packages are in the custody of the ocean carrier, only the ocean carrier shall be determined by the terms and conditions of this Bill of Lading and any law compulsorily applicable.
(b) If loss or damage occurs while the Goods or packages are in the custody of a participating domestic or foreign Carrier. Only the
participating domestic or foreign Carrier(s) shall be responsible therefore, and any liability of such participating domestic or foreign Carrier(s) shall be determined, in respective order, by the terms,
conditions and provisions of the applicable participating domestic or foreign Carrier’s Bill(s) of Lading, whether issued or not, tariff(s)
and law compulsorily applicable in the circumstances.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision a) and (b) hereof, it is contemplated that the Goods or packages will from time to time be carried in through transportation that will include inland transportation within the United Sates by Railroad and sea carriage by one or more of the other Carriers above defined (When used on or endorsed on
this Bill of Lading the words “on board” shall mean and include on board the original carrying vessel when the Goods or packages are being transported from the continental Unite States to a foreign port or place “on board” shall mean and include on board a rail car operated by the originating carrier and enroute by rail to the port of
loading for loading on board the Carrier’s or participating
Carrier’s vessel).
(d) If loss or damage occurs after receipt of the Goods or package hereunder, and it cannot be determined from the records of the ocean Carrier or Participating domestic or foreign Carrier(s) whether such damage or loss occurred during ocean, domestic or foreign carriage, it shall be conclusively presumed that the loss or damage occurred on board the vessel and while the Goods or packages were in the custody of the ocean Carrier.
(e) At all times when the Goods or packages are in the custody of the above-mentioned participating domestic or foreign Carriers, such
Carriers shall be entitled to all the rights, defenses, exceptions from or limitations of liability and immunities of whatsoever nature referred to or incorporated herein applicable or granted to the
Carrier as herein defined, to the full extent permitted to such domestic and foreign Carriers under this Bill(s) of Lading, tariffs and any other laws applicable or relating thereto, provided however, that nothing contained in this Bill of Lading shall be deemed a surrender by these domestic or foreign Carriers of any of
their rights and immunities or an increase of their limitations of and exonerations from liability under their said Bill(s) of Lading, tariffs or
laws applicable or relating to said carriage.
(f) In making any arrangements for transportation by participating domestic or foreign Carriers of the Goods or packages carried hereunder, either before or after ocean carriage, it is understood
and agreed that the ocean Carrier acts solely as agent of the Merchant, without any other responsibility whatsoever, and it assumes no responsibility as Carrier for such domestic or foreign transportation.
(g) Notice of loss or damage and claim against the ocean Carrier, where applicable, shall be given to the ocean Carrier, and suit commenced as provided for in Clauses 30 and 31 hereof, notice of loss or damage against the participating domestic or foreign Carrier(s), where applicable, shall be filed with the participating domestic or foreign Carrier(s) and suit commenced as provided for
in the terms, conditions and provisions of said Carrier(s)’ Bill of Lading or by law applicable thereto. It is understood by the Merchant that such terms, conditions and provisions, as they pertain to notice of, and claim for, loss or damage and commencement of suit, contain different requirements than those requirements pertaining to ocean Carriage as contained in Clauses 30 and 31 hereof.
5. The goods carried hereunder are subject to all the terms and provisions of the Carrier’s applicable Tariff or Tariffs on file with the Federal Maritime Commission, Interstate Commerce Commission or any other regulatory body which governs a particular portion of this
carriage, and the terms and provisions of the said Tariff or Tariffs are hereby incorporated herein as part of the Terms and Conditions of this Bill of Lading. Copies of the relevant provisions of the applicable Tariff or Tariffs are obtainable from the Carrier, Federal Maritime
Commission, interstate Commerce Commission or other regulatory
body upon request. In the event of any conflict between the terms and provisions of such Tariff or Tariffs and the Terms and Conditions of this Bill of Lading, this Bill of Lading shall prevail.
6. The Merchant warrants that in agreeing to the Terms and Conditions hereof, he is, or has the authority of, the person owing and entitled to
the possession of the Goods and this Bill of Lading.
7. (a) The Carrier shall be entitled to sub-contract on any terms the whole or any part of the carriage, loading, unloading, storing, warehousing, handling and any and all duties whatsoever undertaken by the Carrier in relation to the Goods
(b) As to through transportation, the Carrier undertakes to procure
such services as necessary and shall have the right at tits sole discretion to select any mode of land, sea or air transport and to arrange participation by other Carriers to accomplish the combined
transport from place of receipt to place of delivery. Whenever any stage of the combined transport is accomplished by any land or air Carrier or any other water Carrier, each such stage shall be controlled according to any law compulsorily applicable to such
stage and according to the contracts, rules and tariffs of each participating Carrier, the same as if such contracts, rules and tariffs were fully set forth herein.
8. The Carrier shall be entitled but under no obligation to open any
Container at any time and to inspect the contents unless applicable
law prohibits same. If it thereupon appears that the contents or any
part thereof cannot safely or properly be carried or carried further
either at all or without incurring any additional expense of taking any
measures in relation to the Container or its contents or any part
thereof, the Carrier may abandon the transportation thereof and/or
take any measures and/or incur any reasonable additional expense to
carry or to continue the carriage or to store the same shore or afloat
under cover or in the open, at any place which storage shall be
deemed to constitute due delivery under this Bill of Lading. The
Merchant shall indemnify the Carrier against any unreasonable
additional expense so incurred.
9. Carrier may containerize any Goods or packages, Containers may be
stowed on deck or under deck and when so stowed shall be deemed
for all purposes to be stowed under deck, including for General
Average and U.S. Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 1936 and similar
legislation.
10. Deck cargo (except, goods carried in containers on deck) and live
animals are received and carried solely at Merchant’s risk including
accident or mortality of animals and the Carrier shall not in any event
be liable for any loss or damage thereto arising or resulting from any
matters mentioned in Section 4 Sub-Section 2(a) to (p), inclusive, of
the United States Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, or from any other
cause whatsoever not due to the fault of the Carrier, any warranty of
seaworthiness in the premises being hereby waived. Except as
provided above, such shipments shall be deemed Goods sand shall
be subject to all terms and provisions of this Bill of Lading relating to
Goods.
11. Special containers with heating or refrigeration units will not be
furnished unless contracted for expressly in writing at time of booking
and, when furnished, may entail an increased freight rate or charge.
Shipper shall advise Carrier of desired temperature range when
delivering Goods to Carrier and Carrier shall exercise due diligence to
maintain the temperature within a reasonable range while the
containers are in its custody or control. The Carrier does not, however,
accept any responsibility for the functioning of heated or refrigerated
containers not owned or leased by Carrier.
12. The scope of the voyage herein contracted for shall include usual or
customary or advertised port of call whether named in this contract or
not, also ports in or out of the advertised, geographical or usual route
or order, even though in proceeding thereto the vessel may sail
beyond the port of discharge named herein or in a direction contrary
thereto, or return to the original port or depart from the direct or
customary route and includes all canals, straits, and other waters. The
vessel may call at any port for the purpose of the current, prior or
subsequent voyages. The vessel may omit calling at any port whether
scheduled or not, and may call at the same port more than once, may
discharge the goods during the first or subsequent call at the port of
discharge, may for matters occurring before or after loading, and either
with or without the goods on board, and before or after proceeding
towards the port of discharge, adjust compasses, drydock with or
without cargo on board, stop for repairs, shift berths, make trial trips or
tests, take fuel or stores, remain in port, lie on bottom, around or at
anchor, sail with or without pilots, tow and be towed, and save or
attempt to save life or property, and all of the foregoing are included in
the contracted voyage. The vessel may carry contraband, explosives,
munitions, warlike stores, hazardous cargo, and sail armed or
unarmed, and with or without convoy. The Carrier’s sailing schedules
are subject to change without notice, both as to the sailing date and
date of arrival. If this is a Through Bill of Lading, no Carrier is bound to
transport the shipment by any particular train, truck, aircraft, vessel or
other means of conveyance or in time for any particular market or
otherwise. No Carrier shall be liable for delay and any Carrier shall
have the right to forward the goods by substitute Carrier.
13. If at any time the performance of the contract evidenced by this Bill of
Lading is or is likely to be affected by any hindrance, risk delay,
difficulty or disadvantage of whatsoever kind which cannot be avoided
by the exercise or reasonable endeavors, the Carrier (whether or not
the transport is commenced) may without notice to the Merchant treat
the performance of this contract as terminated and place the Goods or
any part of them at the Merchant’s disposal at any place or port whic
the Carrier may deem safe and convenient whereupon the
responsibility of the Carrier in respect of such Goods shall cease. The
Carrier shall nevertheless be entitled to full freight and charges on
Goods received for transportation and the Merchant shall pay any
additional costs of carriage to and delivery and storage at such place
or port.
14. If the Carrier makes a special agreement, whether by stamp hereon or
otherwise, to deliver the Goods at a specified dock or place, it is
mutually agreed that such agreement shall be construed to mean that
the Carrier is to make such delivery only if, in the sole judgment of the
Carrier, the vessel can get to lie at, and leave said dock or place as is
available for immediate receipt of the Goods and that otherwise the
Goods shall be discharged as otherwise provided in this Bill of Lading,
whereupon all responsibility of Carrier shall cease.
15. The port authorities are hereby authorized to grant a general order for
discharging immediately upon arrival of the vessel and the Carrier,
without giving notice either of arrival or discharge, may immediately
upon arrival of the vessel at the designated destination, discharge the
goods continuously. Sundays and holidays included, at all such hours
by day or by night as the Carrier may determine no matter what the
state of the weather or custom of the port may be. The Carrier shall not
be liable in any respect whatsoever if heat or refrigeration or special
cooling facilities shall not be furnished during loading or any part of the
time that the Goods are upon the wharf, craft or other loading or
discharging place. Landing and delivery charges and pier dues shall
be at the expense of the Goods unless included in the freight herein
provided for. If the Goods are not taken away by the consignee by the
expiration of the next working day after the Goods are the his disposal,
the Goods may, at Carrier’s option and subject to Carrier’s lien, be sent
to store or warehouse or be permitted to be where landed, buy always
at the expense and risk of the Goods. The responsibilities of the
Carrier in any capacity shall altogether cease and the Goods shall be
considered to be delivered and at their own risk and expense in every
respect when taken into the custody of Customs or other Authorities or
into that of any municipal or governmental concessionaire or
depository. The Carrier shall not be required to give any notification of
disposition of the Goods except as may be otherwise provided in this
Bill of Lading.
16. At ports or places where, by local law, authorities, or custom, the
Carrier is required to discharge cargo to lighters or other craft, or
where it has been so agreed, or where wharves are not available
which the ship can get to, lie at, or leave, always safely afloat, or where
conditions prevailing at the time render discharge at a wharf
dangerous, imprudent, or likely to delay the vessel, the Merchant, shall
promptly furnish lighters or other craft to take delivery alongside the
ship, at the risk and expense of the Goods. If the Merchant, fails to
provide such lighters or other craft, Carrier, acting solely as agent for
the Merchant, may engage such lighters or other craft at the risk and
expense of the Goods. Discharge of the Goods into such lighters or
other craft shall constitute proper delivery, and any further
responsibility of Carrier with respect to the goods shall thereupon
terminate.
17. The Carrier shall have liberty to comply with any order or directions or
recommendations in connection with the transport under this contract
of carriage given by any Government or Authority or anyone acting or
purporting to act on behalf of such Government or Authority, or having,
under the terms of the mortgage or insurance on the vessel or other
transport, the right to give such orders, directions or recommendations.
Discharge or delivery of the Goods in accordance with the said order
or directions or recommendations shall be deemed a fulfillment of the
contract. Any extra expense incurred in connection with the exercise of
the Carrier’s liberty under this clause shall be paid by the Merchant in
addition to freight and charges.
18. Whenever the Carrier or Master may deem it advisable, or in any case
where goods are destined for port(s) or place(s) at which the vessel or
participating carriers will not call the Carrier may, without notice
forward the whole or any port of the shipment, before or after loading
at the original port of shipment, or any other place or places even
though outside the scope of the voyage or the route to or beyond the
port of discharge or the destination the Goods, by water, by land, or by
air, or by any combination thereof, whether operated by the Carrier or
others and whether departing or arriving or scheduled to depart or
arrive before or after the ship expected to be used for the
transportation of the shipment. The Carrier may delay forwarding
awaiting a vessel or conveyance in its own service, shipment is
delivered to another Carrier or to a lighter, Port Authority,
warehouseman or other bailee for transshipment. The liability of this
Carrier shall absolutely cease when the Goods again come into its
exclusive possession and the responsibility of this Carrier during any
such period shall be that of an agent of the Merchant and this Carrier
shall be without any other responsibility whatsoever. The carriage by
any transshipping or on Carrier and all transshipment or forwarding
shall be subject to all the terms whatsoever in the regular form of bill of
lading, consignment note, contract or other shipping document at the
time by the Carrier performing such transshipment or forwarding.
19. In any situation whatsoever and wheresoever occurring and whether
existing or anticipated before commencement of or during the
combined transport, which in the judgment of the Carrier of the
combined transport or which in the judgment of the Carrier or the
Master is likely to give rise to risk of capture, seizure, detention,
damage, delay or disadvantage or loss to the Carrier or any part of the
Goods, to make it unsafe, imprudent or unlawful for any reason to
receive, keep, load, or carry the goods, or commence or proceed on or
continue the transport or to enter or discharge the goods or disembark
passengers at the port of discharge, or the usual or agreed or intended
place of discharge or or to give rise to delay or difficulty in proceeding
by the usual or intended route, the Carrier or the Master may decline
to receive, keep, load or carry the Goods or may devan container(s)
contents or any part thereof and may require the Merchant to take
delivery of the Goods at the place of receipt or any other point in the
combined transport and upon failure to do so, may warehouse the
Goods at the risk and expense of the Goods, or the vessel, whether or
not proceeding towards or entering or attempting to enter a port of
discharge, or reaching or attempting to reach a usual place of
discharge therein or attempting to discharge the shipment, may
discharge the goods and/or devan the contents of any container(s) at
another port, deport, lighter, craft, or other place, or may forward or
transship them as provided in this Bill of Lading, or the Carrier or the
Master may retain the Goods, vanned or unvanned, on board until the
return of the vessel to the port of loading or to the port of discharge or
until such time as the Carrier or the Master thinks advisable and
discharge the Goods at any place whatsoever as herein provided. The
Carrier or the Master is not required to give notice of such devanning
or of discharge of the Goods or of the forwarding thereof as herein
provided. When the Goods are discharged from the ship, as herein
provided, such shall be at the risk and expense of the Goods. Such
discharging shall constitute complete delivery and performance under
this contract and the Carrier shall be free from any further
responsibility, unless it be shown that any loss or damage to the
Goods arose from Carrier’s negligence in the discharge and delivery
as herein provided, the burden of establishing such negligence being
on the Merchant, For any service rendered to the Goods as herein
above provided or for any delay or expense to the vessel caused as a
result thereof, the Carrier shall be entitled to a reasonable extra
compensation, and shall have a lien on the goods for such carriage.
Notice of disposition of the Goods shall be mailed to shipper or
consignee named in this Bill of Lading. Goods shut out from the vessel
named herein for any cause may be forwarded on a subsequent
vessel of this Line or, at Carrier’s option, on a vessel of another Line or
by other mode of transportation.
20. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Carrier shall neither be liable
therefor, nor concluded as to, the correctness of any such marks,
descriptions or representations. When any cargo unit owned or leased
by Carrier is packed or loaded by shipper or is agent, or discharged by
consignee or its agent, shipper, consignee, receiver, holder of this Bill
of Lading, owners of the Goods and person entitled to the possession
of the Goods shall be and remain liable, jointly and severally, for any
loss or damage to the cargo unit during such loading or discharge,
howsoever occurring, until the cargo unit is returned to Carrier’s
custody and, at tariff rates, for any delay beyond the time allowed for
such loading or discharge, and for any loss, damage or expense
incurred by Carrier as a result of the failure to return the cargo unit to
the Carrier in the same sound condition and state of cleanliness as
when received by shipper. Such loss, damage, expense or delay shall
constitute a lien on the Goods. Where a cargo unit is to be unpacked
or unloaded by consignee or its agent, consignee or its agent shall
promptly unpack or unload such cargo unit and take delivery of its
contents, irrespective of whether the Goods are damaged or not.
Carrier shall not be liable for loss or damage caused to the Goods by
or during such unpacking or unloading.
21. When containers, vans, trailers, transportable tanks, flats, palletized
units, and all other packages (all hereinafter referred to generically as
“cargo units”) are not packed or loaded by Carrier, such cargo units
shall be deemed shipped as “Shipper’s weight, load and count “Carrier
has no reasonable means of checking the quantity, weight, condition
or existence of the contents thereof, does not represent the quantity,
weight, condition or existence of the contents thereof, does not
represent the quantity, weight, condition or existence of such contents,
as furnished by the shipper and inserted in this Bill of Lading, to be
accurate and shall not be liable for nonreceipt or misdescription of
such contents. Carrier shall have no responsibility or liability
whatsoever therefor or for the packing, loading, securing and/or
stowage of contents of such cargo units, or for loss or damage caused
thereby or resulting therefor, or for the physical suitability or structural
adequacy of such cargo units properly to contain their contents. The
Merchant, whether principal or agent, by packing or loading the cargo
unit and/or by allowing the cargo unit to be so packed or loaded,
represents, guarantees and warrants; (a) that the Goods are properly
described, marked and safely and securely packed in other respective
cargo units, that such cargo units are physically suitable, sound and
structurally adequate properly to contain and support the goods during
handling and on the transport, and that the cargo units may be handled
in the ordinary course without damage to themselves or to their
contents, or to the vessel or conveyance or to their other cargo, or
property, or persons, (b) that all particulars with regard to the cargo
units and their contents, and the weight of each said cargo unit, are in
all respects correct, (c) that they have ascertained and fully disclosed
in writing to the Carrier and all participating Carriers on or prior to to
shipment, and condition, ingredient or characteristic of the Goods
which might indicate that they are inflammable, explosive, corrosive,
radioactive, noxious, hazardous or dangerous in nature, or which
might cause damage, injury or detriment to the Goods, or to the
vessel, conveyance or other cargo or to property or persons, (d) that
they have complied fully with all statutes, ordinances and regulations
of the Department of Transportation of the United States of America
and all other regulatory bodies with respect to labeling, packaging and
preparation for shipment of all such Goods. The shipper, consignee,
receiver, holder of this Bill of Lading, owner of the Goods and persons
entitled to the possession of the Goods jointly and severally agree fully
to protect and indemnify Carrier, and to hold it harmless in respect of
any injury or death of any person or loss or damage to cargo or cargo
unit or any other property, or to the vessel or conveyance or expense
or fine arising out of in any way connected with breach of any of the
foregoing representations or warranties, howsoever occurring, even
without fault of shipper, consignee and/or owner of the Goods and
even though such injury, death loss or damage is caused in whole or
in part by the fault of the Carrier or unseaworthiness.
22. The Merchant and the Goods themselves shall be liable for and shall
indemnify the Carrier and the Carrier shall have a lien on the Goods for
all expenses of mending, repairing, fumigating, repacking, coopering,
baling, reconditioning of the Goods and gathering of contents of
packages, also for expenses for repairing containers damaged while in
the possession of the Merchant for demurrage on containers and any
payment, expense, fine, dues, duty, tax impost, loss, damage or
detention sustained or incurred by or levied upon the Carrier, vessel or
conveyance in connection with the goods, howsoever caused,
including any action or requirement of any government or
governmental authority or person purporting to act under the authority
thereof, seizure under legal process or attempted seizure, incorrect of
insufficient marking, numbering or addressing of containers, packages
or description of the contents, failure of the Merchant to procure
consular, Board of Health or other certificates to accompany the
Goods or to comply with laws or regulations or any kind imposed with
respect to the Goods by the authorities at any port or place or any act
or omission of the Merchant. The Carrier’s lien shall survive delivery
and may be enforced by private or public sale and without notice.
23. Freight shall be payable, at Carrier’s option, on actual gross intake
weight or measurement or on actual gross discharge weight or
measurement or on a value or other basis. Freight may be calculated
on the basis of the particulars of the goods furnished by the shipper
herein, but the Carrier may, as previously stated herein, at any time
open the packages or containers and examine, weight, measure and
value the Goods (unless applicable law prohibits same). In case
shipper’s particulars are found to be erroneous and additional freight
payable, the Merchant and the Goods shall be liable for any expense
incurred for examining, weighing, measuring and valuing the goods.
Full freight shall be paid on damaged or unsound goods. Full freight
hereunder to place of delivery named herein and advance charges
(including on-Carrier’s) shall be considered completely earned on
receipt of the Goods by the Carrier, whether the Freight be stated or
intended to be prepaid or to be collected at destination; and the Carrier
shall be entitled to all freight and charges, extra compensation,
demurrage, detention, General Average, claims and any other
payments made and liability incurred with respect to the Goods,
whether actually paid or not, and to receive and retain them
irrevocably under all circumstances whatsoever, vessel, conveyance
and/or cargo lost, damaged or otherwise, or the combined transport
changed, frustrated abandoned in case of forced abandonment or
interruption of the combined transport for any cause, any forwarding of
the goods or any part thereof shall be at the risk and expense of the
Goods. All unpaid charges shall be paid in full, without any offset,
counterclaim or deduction in the currency of the place of receipt, or at
Carrier’s option, in the currency of the place of delivery at the demand
rate of New York exchange as quoted on day of arrival of the Goods at
the place of delivery. The Merchant shall be jointly and severally liable
to the Carrier for the payment of all freight charges and the amounts
due to the Carrier, and for any failure of either or both to perform his or
their obligations under the provisions of this Bill of Lading, and they
shall indemnify the Carrier against, and hold it harmless from, all
liability, loss, damage and expense which the Carrier may sustain or
incur arising or resulting from any such failure of performance by the
Merchant. Any person, firm or corporation engaged by any party to
perform forwarding services with respect to the cargo shall be
considered the exclusive agent of the Merchant for all purposes and
any payment of freight to such person, firm or corporation shall not be
considered payment to the Carrier in any event. Upon failure of such
person, firm or corporation to pay any part of the freight to the Carrier
shall have a lien on the Goods and any documents relating thereto,
which shall survive delivery, for all freight charges and damages of any
kind whatsoever, and for the costs of recovering same, including
expenses incurred in preserving this lien, and may enforce this lien by
public or private sale and without notice. The shipper consignee,
receiver, holder of this Bill of Lading, owner of the Goods and person
entitled to the possession of the Goods shall be joinly and severally
liable to the Carrier for the payment of all freight, charges and
damages as aforesaid and for the performance of this obligations of
each of them hereunder.
24. Carrier shall not be liable for any consequential or special damages
and shall have the option of replacing lost Goods or repairing
damaged Goods.
25. The weight or quantity of any bulk cargo inserted in this Bill of Lading
is the weight or quantity as ascertained by a third party other than the
Carrier, and Carrier makes no representation with regard to the
accuracy thereof. This Bill of Lading shall not be deemed evidence
against the Carrier of receipt of goods of the weight or quantity so
inserted in the Bill of Lading.
26. Neither the Carrier nor any corporation owned by, subsidiary to or
associated or affiliated with the Carrier shall be liable to answer for or
make good any loss or damage to the goods occurring at any time and
even though before loading on or after discharge from the ship, by
reason or by means of any fire whatsoever, unless such fire shall be
caused by its design or neglect, or by its actual fault or privity. In any
case where this exemption is not permitted by law, Carrier shall not be
liable for loss or damage by fire unless shown to have been caused by
Carrier’s negligence.
27. If the vessel comes into collision with another vessel as a result of the
fault or negligence of the other vessel and any act, neglect or default
of the Carrier, Master, mariner, pilot or the servants of the Carrier in
the navigation or in the management of the vessel, the Merchant will
indemnify the Carrier against all loss or liability to the other or
noncarrying vessel or her owners insofar as such loss or liability
represents loss, of or damage to, or any claim whatsoever of the
Merchant, paid or payable by the other or non-carrying vessel or her
owners to the Merchant and set-off, recouped or recovered by the
other or non-carrying vessel or her owners as part of their claim
against the carrying vessel or Carrier. The foregoing provisions shall
also apply where the owners, operators or in addition to, the colliding
vessels or objects are at fault in respect of a collision, contact
stranding, or other accident. This provision is to remain in effect in
other jurisdictions even if unenforceable in the Courts of the United
Statesof America.
28. General average shall be adjusted, stated and settled according to
York-Antwerp Rules 1994, except rule XII thereof, at such port or place
as may be selected by the Carrier and as to matters not provided for
by these Rules, according to the laws and usages of New York. In
such adjustment, disbursements in foreign currencies shall be
exchanged into United States money at the rate prevailing on the
dates made and allowances for damage to cargo claimed in foreign
currency shall be converted at the rate prevailing on the last day of
discharge at the port or place of final discharge of such damaged
cargo from the ship. Average agreement or bond and such additional
security as may be required by the Carrier must be furnished before
delivery of the goods. In such case deposit as the Carrier or his agents
may deem sufficient as additional security for the contribution of the
goods and for any salvage and special charges thereon shall, if
required, be made by the Goods, shippers, consignees or owners of
the goods to the Carrier before delivery of the Goods. Notwithstanding
anything hereinbefore contained, such security shall at the option of
the Carrier be payable in United States currency and be remitted to the
adjuster pending settlement of the General Average and refunds of
Credit balances, if any, shall be paid in United States currency. In
addition to the circumstances dealt with in the 1994 York-Antwerp
Rules, it is agreed that the Carrier has used due diligence in the
ownege of cargo and if the safe prosecution of the voyage is thereafter
imperiled in consequence of the disturbance of stowage, the costs of
handling, discharge, reloading and restowing cargo shall be allowed in
General Average , even though the handling of cargo is not necessary
for the purpose of effecting repairs to the vessel. In the event of
accident, danger or disaster, before or after commencement of the
voyage resulting from any cause whatsoever, whether due to
negligence or not for which of for the consequence of which, the
Carrier is not responsible by statute, contract or otherwise, the Goods,
the shipper, consignee, receiver, holder of this Bill of Lading, owner of
the Goods and person entitled to the possession of the Goods, jointly
and severally, shall contribute with the Carrier in General Average to
the payment of any sacrifices, loss or expenses of a General Average
nature that may be made or incurred and shall pay salvage and special
charges incurred in respect of the Goods. If a salving ship is owned or
operated by the Carrier, salvage shall be paid for as fully and in the
same manner as if such salving ship or ships were owned or operated
by strangers. Cargo’s contribution in General Average shall be paid to
the shipowner even when such average is the result of fault, neglect or
error of the Master, pilot, officers or crew. The Merchant expressly
renounces any and all codes, statutes, laws or regulations which might
otherwise apply.
29. In case of any loss or damage to or in connection with Goods
exceeding in actual value the equivalent of $500 lawful money of the
United States, per package, or in case of Goods not shipped in
packages, per shipping unit, the value of the Goods shall be deemed
to be $500 per package or per shipping unit. The Carrier’s liability, if
any, shall be determined on the basis of a value or $500 per package
or per shipping unit or pro rata in case of partial loss or damage, unless
the nature of the Goods and a valuation higher than $500 per package
or package or per shipping unit shall have been declared by the
shipper before shipment and inserted in this Bill of Lading, and extra
freight paid if required. In such case, if the actual value of the Goods
per package or per shipping unit shall exceed such declared value, the
value shall nevertheless be deemed to be declared value and the
Carrier’s liability, if any, shall not exceed the declared value and any
partial loss or damage shall be adjusted pro rata on the basis of such
declared value. The words “shipping unit” shall mean each physical
unit or piece of cargo not shipped in a package, including articles or
things of any description whatsoever, except goods shipped in bulk,
and irrespective of the weight or measurement unit employed in
calculating freight charges. When containers, vans, trailers,
transportable tanks, flats, palletized units and other such packages are
not packed by the Carrier, each individual such container, van trailer,
transportable tank, palletized unit and other such package including in
each instance its contents, shall be deemed a single package and
Carrier’s liability limited to $500 with respect to each such package.
30. As to loss or damage to the Goods or packages occurring or presumed
to have occurred during ocean voyage, unless notice of loss of or
damage and the general nature of it be given in writing to the Carrier
or its agent at the port of delivery before or at the time of the removal
of the Goods or packages into the custody of the person entitled to
delivery thereof under this Bill of Lading or, if the loss or damage be
not apparent, within three consecutive days after delivery at the port of
discharge, such removal shall be prima facie evidence of the delivery
by the Carrier of the Goods or packages as described in this Bill of
Lading.
31. As to loss or damage to the Goods or package occurring or presumed
to have occurred during ocean carriage, the Carrier and the vessel
shall be discharged from all liability in respect of loss, damage,
misdelivery, delay or in respect of any other breach of this contract and
any claim whatsoever with respect to the Goods or packages, unless
suit is brought within one year after delivery of the Goods or package
or the date when the Goods or package should have been delivered.
Suit shall not be deemed brought unless jurisdiction shall have been
obtained over the Carrier and/or the vessel by service of process or by
an agreement to appear.
32. Gold, silver, specie, bullion or other valuables, including those named
or described in Section 30503 of Title 46 of the United States Code will
not be received by the Carrier unless their true character and value are
disclosed to the Carrier and a special written agreement therefor has
been made in advance, and will not, in any case, be loaded or landed
by the Carrier. No such valuables shall be considered received by or
delivered to the Carrier until brought aboard the ship by the shipper
and put in the actual possession of and a written receipt therefor is
given by the Master or other officer in charge. Such valuables will only
be delivered by the Carrier aboard the ship onpresentation of bills of
lading properly endorsed and upon such delivery on board the
Carrier’s responsibility shall cease. If delivery is not so taken promptly
after the ship’s arrival at the port of discharge, the goods may be
retained aboard or landed or carried on, solely at the
risk and expense of the goods.
33. It is agreed that superficial rust, oxidation or any like condition due to
moisture, is not a condition of damage but is inherent to the nature of
the cargo, and acknowledgement of receipt of the Goods in apparent
good order and condition is not a representation that such conditions
of rust, oxidation and the like did not exist on receipt.
34. Nothing in this Bill of Lading shall operate to deprive the Carrier of any
statutory protection or exemption from, or limitation of, liability,
contained in the laws of the United States, or in the laws of any other
country which may be applicable. This Bill of Lading shall be construed
according to the laws of the United States and the Merchant agrees
that any claims against the Carrier shall be brought arbitration in the
City of New York pursuant to the Arbitration Rules of the Society of
Maritime Arbitrators, Inc.. The terms of this Bill of Lading shall be
separable, and if any part or term hereof shall be held invalid, such
holding shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other part or
term hereof.