论无正本提单放货和报关

On delivery and customs declaration of goods without production of original bills of lading

提单是国际贸易和国际航运的基础,凭正本提单交货是国际海运的一项基本规则。为维护提单在国际贸易中作为物权凭证的信用地位,有关提单的国际公约和惯例,以及各国海商立法和司法实践都不同程度确立了凭正本提单交货的基本原则。然而,由于种种原因,现实中依然存在承运人或承运人的代理人无单放货或无单允许收货人提前报关的情况。而这种情况部分属于承运人的代理人在激烈的市场竞争中无奈的自我主张,很少得到承运人的许可。在阐明凭正本提单交货是承运人法定义务的基础上,分析了无单放货和报关情况普遍存在的原因,论述了无正本提单交货和办理报关的法律后果和责任,并探讨了承运人与承租人在租船合同中引入无单放货条款的前提下,选择适合的由承租人签发的许可性和义务性保函允许承运人及其代理人无单卸货和交货的可行性和业务实践。

Bills of lading are the foundation of modern trade and transport, and it is an essential principle to deliver goods a- gainst production of original bills of lading. In order to maintain the credit standing of bills of lading as a document of title in the global trade, the relevant international conventions and practices relating to bills of lading have strengthened the basic principles. Maritime legislation and juridical practices, to various extents, are called for in many countries for the same pur- pose. However, there are actual cases of delivery of goods or arrangement of customs declaration without presentation of origi- nal bills of lading by carriers or carriers＇ agents. And part of the cases falls under the category that carriers＇ agencies make their own decision to do so in the very tough markets, without the consent of carriers. This paper illustrates the carriers＇ obli- gation of cargo delivery against production of original bills of lading and analyses the reasons and causes of delivery of goods and customs declaration without production of original hills of lading. The essay further covers the legal consequences and lia- bilities of delivery of goods and customs declaration without production of original bills of lading. On this basis, the paper discusses the application of permissive and obligatory letters of indemnity under charter parties incorporating the clauses per- mitting of cargo release without production of original bills of lading. Consequently, it allows the feasibilities and practices of cargo discharge and release without production of original bills of lading.