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Wednesday, 02 April 14
CHINA: ARBITRATION CLAUSES IN BILLS OF LADING UNDER CHINESE LEGAL PRACTICE - SKULD
 KNOWLEDGE TO ELEVATE
Successful incorporation of a charterparty arbitration clause into the bills of lading is not a straight forward matter under China jurisprudence and recently a Chinese maritime court dismissed the owners' motion to refer the case to arbitration, because it was held that the C/P arbitration clause incorporated into the B/L was not effective. Details of the matter are as follows. Key points following the legal decision are:
- Although the said B/L recorded on the front page that it was: "to be used with charterparty", there was no express statement in the bill terms for incorporating the arbitration clause from the C/P.
- The standard incorporation clause in the back page of the B/L could not constitute a valid incorporation of the arbitration clause under Chinese law and practice.
- If any C/P terms are to be recognised as incorporated then they would be those of the voyage charter to which the cargo receiver was a party - not the head time C/P. This is because the time C/P is in the nature of being primarily a leasing contract .
Facts of this case
The vessel owners concluded a time C/P as with a charterer. One of the rider clauses provided that English law shall be applicable, and a further clause provided that any dispute arising from the C/P shall be submitted to arbitration at the LMAA.
As part of her charter employment, the vessel carried a cargo of iron ore fines from South America to China. According to the B/L, the shipper South American and the receiver was a Chinese Steel Mill.
While on route the vessel was involved in collision with another vessel. The owners appointed salvors to conduct salvage, and concluded a LOF contract. General average was declared. The salvage was successful, and the Chinese Steel Mill (through its insurers) had to provide general average security to the vessel.
The general average apportionment of salvage costs to cargo was significant, and the Chinese Steel Mill commenced proceedings in China for an indemnity against the ship-owner. The owners raised objection to jurisdiction on the basis that the provisions of the time C/P, including the arbitration clause had been incorporated into the B/L, and thus was binding upon the Steel Mill. The expert opinion of English lawyers was put forward to confirm that the terms of the C/P were successfully incorporated in to the bills of lading, including the arbitration clause.
First instance trial before the Chinese Maritime Court
The Maritime Court dismissed the objection to jurisdiction for the following reasons:
- The case was about compensation of ship collision / general average salvage rewards. Hence, the case fell into the scope of the contract of the carriage of goods by sea.
- Although the said B/L recorded on the front page that: "to be used with charterparty", there was no express statement in the bill terms for incorporating the arbitration clause in the C/P. The standard incorporation clause in the back page of the B/L cannot constitute valid incorporation.
- Meanwhile, the C/P which the owner claimed was to be incorporated into the B/L was a time C/P between the owner and the charterer only. The C/P arbitration clause was only there for resolving the disputes arising from the leasing of the vessel. It was not an arbitration clause for purpose of carriage of goods by sea under the voyage C/P.
- The local Maritime Court, as the nearest court at the port of the destination of the said carriage contract, should have jurisdiction over this case.
Appeal judgment High People's Court
The owners then appealed to the High People's Court and the appeal court dismissed the objection to jurisdiction for reason that:
- Although it is stated on the face of the involved B/L that the said B/L should be used with the C/P, the said C/P to be used with B/L shall be the voyage C/P and not the time C/P to which the owner was a party.
- However, the C/P provided by the owners was a time C/P and there was also no record on the face of the B/L regarding the specific C/P concerned and no express acceptance to have the C/P arbitration clause incorporated.
Observation on this case and comment
Chinese courts hold a stringent view concerning the issue of incorporating the C/P arbitration clause into the B/L. In this case, a key issued appeared to be that the C/P terms sought to be incorporated came from the time C/P, instead of a voyage C/P.
It should also be noted that in 2004 the Qingdao Maritime Court also held that a time C/P is primarily a vessel leasing contract, and although it also has some clauses regarding transportation of cargo it is still primary a leasing contract which is very different from voyage C/P.
The Qingdao Maritime Court continued to say that the B/L relationship is different to the time C/P legal relationship, and because of the rooted difference in this respect, the time C/P arbitration clause cannot be incorporated into the B/L.
Although China is not a case law country, the reasoning of Chinese courts in this regard should be paid attention to for handling of other similar cases.
By Philip Peng
Hai Tong & Partners, Beijing
Source: Skuld / Hellenic Shipping
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Saturday, 07 June 14
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- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
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- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
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- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
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- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
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- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
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- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
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- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
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- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
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- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
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- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Economic Council, Georgia
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- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
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- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- White Energy Company Limited
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
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- Parliament of New Zealand
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- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
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- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
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- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
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- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
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- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
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- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
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- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- The University of Queensland
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
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- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
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- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
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- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
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- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
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- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
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- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Australian Coal Association
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
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- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
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- McConnell Dowell - Australia
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- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Planning Commission, India
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
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- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
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- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
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