国际视野内的中国海难救助立法

Chinese Legislation Regarding Salvage at Sea from an International Perspective

在全球范围内,海难救助立法经历了一个较为漫长的时期,《1910年统一海难援助和救助若干法律规定公约》(《1910年救助公约》)的产生,为统一各国的海难救助法律制度奠定了重要基础,《1989年国际救助公约》的通过则将海难救助立法提升到一个更高的水平。中国作为《1989年国际救助公约》的缔约国,以该公约为蓝本构建了本国的海难救助制度,但由于立法时的条件所限,中国的立法在制度设计上仍带有较为浓厚的《1910年救助公约》的色彩,以致人们对该项制度的理解在很大程度上还停留在《1910年救助公约》的语境之内。为了履行缔约国的义务,更是为了保障海运和贸易事业的健康发展,中国应本着《1989年国际救助公约》确立的鼓励救助的原则,修改和完善现行的海难救助法律制度。

In international perspective, the maritime legislation of salvage has gone through a long history. The Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Assistance and Salvage at Sea, 1910 laid important foundation for the unification of legal system of salvage, while the adoption of the International Convention on Salvage, 1989 indicated that the international legislation on salvage had been lifted to a higher level. China, as a state party of the convention, constructed domestic law based on the International Convention on Salvage, 1989. Nevertheless, limited by the conditions at the time of legislation, China’s maritime salvage system contains many characteristics of the convention 1910 in institutional design. So that people’s understanding of this system is still largely within the context of the convention 1910. In order to perform the obligations of a state party and protect industry of maritime transport and international trade, the current legal system should be improved under the principle for encouraging salvage.