Provisions of the Supreme People's Court on Certain Issues Concerning the Application of Law to the Trial of Cases Involving Delivery of Goods without Original Bills of Lading

　　最高人民法院關(guān)于審理無正本提單交付貨物案件適用法律若干問題的規(guī)定

　　(Adopted at the 1463th Session of the Trial Committee of the Supreme People's Court on February 16, 2009)

　　(2009年2月16日最高人民法院審判委員會第1463次會議通過)

　　In order to properly try cases involving delivery of goods without original bills of lading, these Provisions are formulated in accordance with the Maritime Code of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "Maritime Code"), the Contract Law of the People's Republic of China, the General Principles of the Civil Law of the People's Republic of China and other laws.

　　為正確審理無正本提單交付貨物案件，根據(jù)《中華人民共和國海商法》、《中華人民共和國合同法》、《中華人民共和國民法通則》等法律，制定本規(guī)定。

　　Article 1 For the purposes of these Provisions, an original bill of lading shall include straight bill of lading, order bill of lading and open bill of lading.

　　第一條 本規(guī)定所稱正本提單包括記名提單、指示提單和不記名提單。

　　Article 2 Where a carrier, in violation of laws, delivers goods without the original bill of lading (B/L), thus injuring the original B/L holder's rights under the B/L, the original B/L holder may request the carrier to bear the civil liability for the resultant loss.

　　第二條 承運人違反法律規(guī)定,無正本提單交付貨物,損害正本提單持有人提單權(quán)利的,正本提單持有人可以要求承運人承擔由此造成損失的民事責任。

　　Article 3 Where any loss is caused to the holder of an original B/L due to delivery of goods by a carrier without the original B/L, the holder may request the carrier to bear the liability for breach of contract or tort.

　　Where the holder requests the carrier to bear the civil liability for delivery of goods without the original B/L, the provisions of the Maritime Code shall apply; in the absence of such provisions, the relevant provisions of other laws shall apply.

　　第三條 承運人因無正本提單交付貨物造成正本提單持有人損失的,正本提單持有人可以要求承運人承擔違約責任,或者承擔侵權(quán)責任。

　　正本提單持有人要求承運人承擔無正本提單交付貨物民事責任的,適用海商法規(guī)定;海商法沒有規(guī)定的,適用其他法律規(guī)定。

　　Article 4 Where a carrier bears any civil liability for delivery of goods without the original B/L, the provisions of Article 56 of the Maritime Code relevant to limited compensation liability shall not apply.

　　第四條 承運人因無正本提單交付貨物承擔民事責任的,不適用海商法第五十六條關(guān)于限制賠償責任的規(guī)定。

　　Article 5 If a person uses a forged B/L for collecting goods from a carrier, the consignee that holds the original B/L may request the carrier to bear the civil liability for delivery of goods without the original B/L.

　　第五條 提貨人憑偽造的提單向承運人提取了貨物,持有正本提單的收貨人可以要求承運人承擔無正本提單交付貨物的民事責任。

　　Article 6 The amount of compensation for the loss caused by a carrier to the holder of an original B/L due to delivery of goods without the original B/L shall be calculated based on the value of the goods plus freight and insurance expenses when the goods are shipped.

　　第六條 承運人因無正本提單交付貨物造成正本提單持有人損失的賠償額,按照貨物裝船時的價值加運費和保險費計算。

　　Article 7 If a carrier is obligated, according to the provisions of the laws of the place where the port of discharge is located stated in the bill of lading, to deliver the goods arrived at the port of discharge to the local authority in charge of customs or port, the carrier shall not bear the civil liability for delivery of goods without any original bill of lading.

　　第七條 承運人依照提單載明的卸貨港所在地法律規(guī)定,必須將承運到港的貨物交付給當?shù)睾ｊP(guān)或者港口當局的,不承擔無正本提單交付貨物的民事責任。

　　Article 8 In the case no customs declaration is made for the goods that have arrived at the port of discharge within the time limit specified by laws and the relevant customs collects the goods and sells them legally, or the relevant court renders a decision, in accordance with law, to sell the goods left by the carrier, if the carrier alleges the exemption from liability for delivery of goods, the people's court shall uphold such allegation.

　　第八條 承運到港的貨物超過法律規(guī)定期限無人向海關(guān)申報,被海關(guān)提取并依法變賣處理,或者法院依法裁定拍賣承運人留置的貨物,承運人主張免除交付貨物責任的,人民法院應(yīng)予支持。

　　Article 9 Where a carrier, according to the requirements by the consignor of a straight B/L, suspends the shipment, returns the goods, changes the port of destination or delivers the goods to other consignees, if the consignee who holds the straight B/L requests the carrier to bear the civil liability for delivery of goods without the original bill of lading, the people's court shall not uphold such request.

　　第九條 承運人按照記名提單托運人的要求中止運輸、返還貨物、變更到達地或者將貨物交給其他收貨人,持有記名提單的收貨人要求承運人承擔無正本提單交付貨物民事責任的,人民法院不予支持。

　　Article 10 Where a carrier issues an original B/L in multiple copies, after the carrier delivers the goods to the person who first submits the original B/L, if other persons who hold the same original B/L request the carrier to bear the civil liability for delivery of goods without the original B/L, the people's court shall not uphold such request.

　　第十條 承運人簽發(fā)一式數(shù)份正本提單,向最先提交正本提單的人交付貨物后,其他持有相同正本提單的人要求承運人承擔無正本提單交付貨物民事責任的,人民法院不予支持。

　　Article 11 The holder of an original B/L may request the carrier who delivers goods without the original B/L and the person who collects goods without the original B/L to bear joint and several liability for the compensation.

　　第十一條 正本提單持有人可以要求無正本提單交付貨物的承運人與無正本提單提取貨物的人承擔連帶賠償責任。

　　Article 12 With regard to a consignor who actually delivers the goods to a carrier and holds an order B/L, although the consignor's capacity is not clearly stated in the original B/L, if the consignor, on the ground that the carrier fails to deliver goods with the original B/L, files a petition to request the carrier to assume civil liability for delivery of goods without the original B/L according to a contract of carriage of goods by sea, the people's court shall uphold such petition.

　　第十二條 向承運人實際交付貨物并持有指示提單的托運人,雖然在正本提單上沒有載明其托運人身份,因承運人無正本提單交付貨物,要求承運人依據(jù)海上貨物運輸合同承擔無正本提單交付貨物民事責任的,人民法院應(yīng)予支持。

　　Article 13 After a carrier fails to deliver goods with an original B/L, if the holder of the original B/L and the person who collects the goods without the original B/L reach an agreement on payment for goods, failure to receive the agreed payment shall not prejudice the exercise of the right of holder to filing a civil action against the carrier for the loss incurred to the holder due to the delivery of goods without the original B/L.

　　第十三條 在承運人未憑正本提單交付貨物后,正本提單持有人與無正本提單提取貨物的人就貨款支付達成協(xié)議,在協(xié)議款項得不到賠付時,不影響正本提單持有人就其遭受的損失,要求承運人承擔無正本提單交付貨物的民事責任。

　　Article 14 In case the holder of an original B/L files an action on the ground that the carrier delivers goods without the original B/L, the provisions of Article 257 of the Maritime Code shall apply, and the time limit for limitation of action shall be one year commencing from the date of delivery of goods by the carrier.

　　If the holder of an original B/L files an action involving tort on the ground that the carrier and a person who collects the goods without the original B/L jointly commit the act of delivery of goods without the original B/L, with regard to limitation of action, the provisions specified in the preceding paragraph shall apply.

　　第十四條 正本提單持有人以承運人無正本提單交付貨物為由提起的訴訟,適用海商法第二百五十七條的規(guī)定,時效期間為一年,自承運人應(yīng)當交付貨物之日起計算。

　　正本提單持有人以承運人與無正本提單提取貨物的人共同實施無正本提單交付貨物行為為由提起的侵權(quán)訴訟,訴訟時效適用本條前款規(guī)定。

　　Article 15 In case the holder of an original B/L files an action on the ground that a carrier delivers goods without the original B/L, with regard to discontinuance of limitation, the provisions of Article 267 of the Maritime Code shall apply.

　　If the holder of an original B/L files an action involving tort on the ground that the carrier and a person who collects the goods without the original B/L jointly commit act of delivery of goods without the original B/L, with regard to discontinuance of limitation, the provisions specified in the preceding paragraph shall apply.

　　第十五條 正本提單持有人以承運人無正本提單交付貨物為由提起的訴訟,時效中斷適用海商法第二百六十七條的規(guī)定。

　　正本提單持有人以承運人與無正本提單提取貨物的人共同實施無正本提單交付貨物行為為由提起的侵權(quán)訴訟,時效中斷適用本條前款規(guī)定。