船东可能只在市场租金上涨的时候,或确实担心租船人的支付能力时,才考虑撤船。可以看出,不应当轻易做出这样的决定。此种决定会因不够谨慎而充满危险,而且船东一旦出错 ,结果将面临巨额的索赔。任何会员考虑采用该方法,不管出于什么原因,都应当首先联系抗辩和诉讼协会(UK Defence Club)。
付了租金的,(船东)不撤船。”
这种条款给租船人提供了一个在宽限期内矫正疏怠付款的机会。宽限期的长短依当事方在签订租船合同时的相应谈判地位而有所不同,其范围从48小时到 10天不等。
5、撤船的权利会丧失么?
如果船东已经再三地接受迟延支付的租金而未提出任何投诉,这将构成一种行为惯例。这将妨碍船东在租船人以后延迟支付租金时再行使撤船的权利。在这种情形下,船东应当首先通知租船人,不管之前的处理方法如何,他希望严格行使合同权利。
在到期日或到期日之前接受部分租金并不等于放弃撤船的权利。明智的做法是,船东向租船人明确表明,在这种情况下,他并不会放弃其权利。
船东也必须在合理的时间内做出撤船的决定,或者承担丧失其权利的风险。何谓合理,将因案子的不同而有所不同。但是,由于撤船是一种严肃的措施,船东应当有足够的时间适当考虑其立场并寻求法律意见。在付款失败后几天的延迟通常并不会是不合理的。 6、撤船的效力如何?
有效的撤船使租船合同自撤船当时起终止。船东
无权索要剩余租期的租金,并且必须退还不应得的而租船人已预付的租金。
在大多数策略性撤船的情况下,双方通常达成协议,船舶仍然但以更高的市场费率(租金)租给同一个租船人,犹如租船合同没有改变一样。任何因撤船的合法性而产生的争议将随后通过仲裁或诉讼予以解决。当租金得不到支付时,船东还可以寻求其他的救
济方式。他可以提起债权诉讼。他有权针对提单持有者而留置货物,或留置运费和转运费。在考虑撤船时,他还应考虑其在提单项下对第三方的义务。如果在撤船时,某一载货航次尚未完成,那么必须履行完提单下的运输。
船东可能只在市场租金上涨的时候,或确实担心租船人的支付能力时,才考虑撤船。可以看出,不应当轻易做出这样的决定。此种决定会因不够谨慎而充满危险,而且船东一旦出错,结果将面临巨额的索赔。任何会员考虑采用该方法,不管出于什么原因,都应当首先联系抗辩和诉讼协会(UK Defence Club)。
本文是摘录自UK Defence Club的《Soundings》
通 讯 。 完 整 的 文 章 可 以 从 该 协 会 的 网 站 下 载:
xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxx.xxx/xxxxx0.xxxx, 或者联系xx
withdraw within a reasonable time, or risk losing his right. What is reasonable will differ from case to case. However, as withdrawal is a serious step, the owner should have sufficient time to properly consider the position and seek legal advice. A delay of a few days after the failure to make payment would not normally be unreasonable.
6. What is the effect of withdrawal?
A valid withdrawal terminates the charter from the moment of withdrawal. The owner is not entitled to any hire for the remainder of the charter period and must return to the charterer any unearned hire paid in advance.
In most cases where there has been a tactical withdrawal, it is usual for the parties to reach agreement that the ship remains on hire to the same charterers but at the higher market rate as if, practically speaking, nothing has changed. Any disagreements over the legitimacy of the withdrawal will then be fought out in arbitration or in the courts.
When hire is not paid, the owner may have other remedies. He may sue for debt. He may have rights against bill of lading holders to lien cargo, or to liens freights and sub-freights. When considering withdrawal, he should also take into consideration obligations to third parties under bills of lading. If at the time of the withdrawal, a laden voyage is uncompleted, the carriage under the bill of lading must be performed.
An owner is only likely to wish to withdraw a ship on a rising market, or where he is genuinely fearful of the ability of the charterer to pay. It can be seen that this decision should not be taken lightly. It is fraught with danger for the unwary and can result in substantial claims against the owner if he gets it wrong. Any Member considering embarking down this route, for whatever reason, should, in the first instance, contact the Defence Club.
This is a shortened version of advice issued by the UK Defence Club as a Soundings article.
The full article can be found on the UK Defence Club website at xxxx://xxx.xxxxxxxxx.xxx/xxxxx0.xxxx or obtained from Xxxxx Xxx in Hong Kong (xxxxx.xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx)
香港办事处的xxxx(xxxxx.xxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx) 11