金康2022系列之四：Loading/Discharging

(编者按：续我司微信公众号8月30日文章《金康2022系列之三：Cargo》，编者现对船东装卸货条款进行解析，与君共勉。)

金康94第5条：

5. Loading/Discharging

(a)Costs/Risks

The cargo shall be brought into the holds, loaded, stowed and/or trimmed, tallied, lashed and /or secured and taken from the holds and discharged by the charterers, free of any risk, liability and expense whatsoever to the owners. The Charterers shall provide and lay all dunnage material as required for the proper stowage and protection of the cargo on board, the owners allowing the use of all dunnage available on board. The charterers shall be responsible for and pay the cost of removing their dunnage after discharge of the cargo under this Charter Party and time to count until dunnage has been removed.

(b)Cargo Handling Gear

Unless the vessel is gearless or unless it has been agreed between the parties that the vessel’s gear shall not be used and stated as such in Box 15, the Owners shall throughout the duration of loading/discharging give free use of the Vessel’s cargo handling gear and of sufficient motive power to operate all such cargo handling gear. All such equipment to be in good working order. Unless caused by negligence of the stevedores, time lost by breakdown of the vessel’s cargo handling gear or motive power- pro rata the total number of cranes/winches required at that time for the loading/discharging of cargo under this Charter party – shall not count as laytime or time on demurrage. On request the owners shall provide free of charge crane men/winchmen from the crew to operate the vessel’s cargo handling gear, unless local regulations prohibit this, in which latter event shore labourers shall be for the account of the charterers. Cranemen/winchmen shall be under the charterers’ risk and responsibility and as stevedores to be deemed as their servants but shall always work under the supervision of the Master.

(c)Stevedore damage

The charterers shall be responsible for damage (beyond ordinary wear and tear) to any part of the vessel caused by stevedores. Such damage shall be notified as soon as reasonably possible by the master to the charterers or their agents and to their stevedores, failing which the charterers shall not be held responsible. The master shall endeavor to obtain the stevedores’ written acknowledgement of liability. The charterers are obliged to repair any stevedore damage prior to completion of the voyage, but must repair stevedore damage affecting the vessel’s seaworthiness or class before the vessel sails from the port where such damage was caused or found. All additional expenses incurred shall be for the account of the charterers and any time last shall be the account of and shall be paid to the owners by the charterers at the demurrage rate.

金康2022第4条：

4. Loading and Discharging

(a)The charterer shall under the supervision of the master but at their risk, responsibility and expense:

(i)load, tally, stow, trim and/or secure the cargo, and take the cargo from the holds and discharge it; and

(ii)Ensure that the vessel is left with cargo properly stowed, trimmed and/or secured so as not to impair the vessel’s seaworthiness for the laden voyage and also for any shifting between loading berths, ports and places, and between discharging berths, ports and places. Any related expenses shall be for the charterers’ account and laytime or time on demurrage shall continue to count.

(b) 

(i)If a berth, mooring, anchorage or other location at which the vessel is directed to load, discharge or lay by is such that the owners may have to incur additional costs to ensure the continuing safety of the vessel, including temporarily shifting away or hiring standby tugs, pilots or other external assistance, any such additional costs shall be for the account of the charterers. 

(ii)In the event that the vessel has to vacate the berth during cargo operations for reasons of safety, the charterers shall ensure that any cargo then on board is safely stowed and secured at their risk, responsivity and expense.

(c)Cargo handling gear and lighting: Unless the vessel is gearless, or box 16 states that the vessel’s gear shall not be used, the owners shall provide free use of the vessel’ cargo-handling gear and sufficient power to operate the same. Unless caused or contributed to by the act or neglect of the charterers’ servants, agents or subcontractors, time actually lost by breakdown of the vessel’ cargo –handling gear or lack of sufficient power shall not count as laytime or time on demurrage. The owners shall provide free use of lighting as on board.

(d)Stevedore damage:

(i)The charterers shall be responsible for stevedore damage (fair wear and tear excepted) to any part of the vessel. The charterers shall liable for all costs for repairing such damage and for any time lost thereby, which shall be paid at the demurrage rate stated in Box 19. 

(ii)The master or the owners shall notify the charterers or their agents and the stevedores of any damage as soon as reasonably possible, failing which the charterers shall not be responsible for any such damage. Such notice shall describe the damage and shall invite the charterers to appoint a surveyor to assess the extent of such damage.

(iii)Stevedore damage affecting seaworthiness shall be repaired without any delay before the vessel sails from the port where such damage was caused or discovered or otherwise as required by the vessel’s classification society. Stevedore damage restricting the vessel’s trading capabilities shall be repaired before leaving the last or discharge, failing which the charterers shall be liable for any resulting losses. All other stevedore damage which is not repaired before leaving the last port of discharge shall be repaired by the owners and settled by the charterers on receipt of the owners’ supporting invoice.

金康2022第4条对应金康94中第5条，主要明确了装卸货期间租约当事双方承担的风险、责任和费用。该条款亦有一些明显的改动，值得船东和租家关注。

1.（a）款

该条文坚持了上一版本的FIOST原则，规定（i）租家对装卸货，包括理货、积载、平舱、系固等作业的费用和风险负责，(ii)租家确保货物妥当积载、平舱和系固，不会损害船舶在载货航次或各装载地间转运期间的适航性。

该条文增加了货物装卸作业应“在船长监督下”（under the supervision of the Master）这一表述。根据Court Line Ltd. v. Canadian Transport Co. Ltd. 一案判决，该表述并未增加船长的义务，而是给予了船长进行干预的权利。该案涉及从加拿大Vancouver到英国的散装小麦的海上运输，租约第8条约定“the Captain shall prosecute his voyages with the utmost despatch and shall render all customary assistance with ship’s crew and boats. The Captain (although appointed by the owners) shall be under the orders and directions of the Charterers as regard employment or agency; and Charterers are to load, stow and trim the cargo at their expense under the supervision of the Captain who is to sign bills of lading for cargo as presented in conformity with the Mate’s or Tally-Clerk’s receipts…...”不幸的是由于货物积载不当造成严重货损。提单持有人要求船东承担责任，船东转而向租家追偿。租家的抗辩理由之一是“在船长监督下”积载的约定实际上是将妥善积载的责任推给了船长。英国最高法院认为这种抗辩是毫无根据的，船长对积载的监督在任何情况下都是理所应当的。在任何情况下，船长都必须保护他的船舶不使其失去适航能力。这样的约定并不能免除或者减轻租家对妥善积载的义务。

2.（b）款

该分条款为新增条款，规定了租家应承担装货、卸货、停靠地的安全风险。一方面，租家应赔偿船舶在装货、卸货、停靠地维持船舶安全而承担的额外费用（包括临时移泊或者雇佣待命拖轮、引水或者其他外部协助等）；另一方面，租家应承担船舶因安全问题（如台风、巨浪）而装载部分货物离泊的风险。

编者认为这是金康租约的一处重大变动。这里介绍一个真实的典型案例，船舶为避台风从作业泊位移泊至锚地，由此产生的额外费用和船期由谁来承担？对于额外费用，在没有明示规定的情况下，普通法的地位是:如果移泊不是租家的指示，船东应承担这部分额外费用。船东想要向租家索赔，必须有租约条款赋予船东这样的索赔权利。对于船期，金康租约下laytime定义为weather working days,如果移泊时尚未进入滞期（即约定的装卸时间尚未耗尽），这段船期损失不能算作laytime，因为不符合weather working days的定义，船期损失由船东自己承担。如果移泊时已进入滞期，那么根据“一旦滞期，永远滞期”的原则，这段船期算入滞期费由租家承担。

3.（c）款

该条为装卸设备及照明条款，规定船东免费提供船吊以及足够的照明给租家使用，但删除了船东免费提供船员来操作船吊进行装卸货的规定。由于绝大部分港口当局都会要求使用本国工人进行装卸货作业，所以此处删除的影响不会太大。

4.（d）款

该分条款为装卸损坏条款，细化了发生装卸损坏后的处理流程，降低了产生争议的可能性。条文删除了获取装卸工人书面承认的要求，增加了通知邀请租家委派检验师评估损失的要求，更加符合商业现实，鼓励租约双方通过协作妥善处理损坏事故。

参考文献：

1.初北平 裘静宜《金康2022修订内容及其实践影响》

2. Julien Rabeux《The new GENCON 2022 charterparty》