承运人适航义务的法律研究

Legal Study of the Carrier's Seaworthiness Obligation

承运人的责任基础在海上货物运输法中处于核心地位,适航义务是承运人三项基本义务中最基础、最重要的部分。讨论适航义务须以船舶为依托,关于船舶适航与否应从客观标准与主观标准两方面着手判断。船舶适航与适航义务是密切联系又本质不同的两个概念,《海牙规则》对适航义务给出了定义。《鹿特丹规则》通过后,承运人适航义务被提升到关键位置,在一些具体问题上与传统公约相比有了新的变化,其主体范围扩展至海运履约方,履行期间也不再受“开航前和开航当时”的限制,并且取消了航海过失免责。《鹿特丹规则》对承运人责任基础的变革将对我国船货双方利益产生影响,世界各国对《鹿特丹规则》也有不同的评价。《鹿特丹规则》的问世代表了未来海商法的发展趋势,我国有理由适时更新《海商法》当中的适航义务制度构造,对适航义务作出更加清晰与合理的定位,理清适航义务与免责事项之间的逻辑关系,同时适当提高适航义务的标准,延长承运人的责任期间。

Basis of the carrier's liability is at the heart of the law of the carriage of goods by sea,and the seaworthiness obligation is the most basic and important part of the carrier's three basic obligations.The discussion of seaworthiness obligation must be based on ships,and the seaworthiness of ships should be judged by both objective and subjective criteria.The seaworthiness of a ship and the seaworthiness obligation of a ship are two closely related but fundamentally different concepts,and the Hague Rules define the seaworthiness obligation.With the adoption of the Rotterdam Rules,the carrier's seaworthiness obligation has been elevated to a key position,with new changes in some specific issues compared with traditional conventions,its main scope extended to maritime performing parties,the period of performance is no longer subject to"before and at the time of departure",and the exemption from nautical fault has been removed.The changes in the basis of carrier liability in the Rotterdam Rules will have an impact on the interests of both sides of China's cargo,and the Rotterdam Rules have been evaluated differently around the world.The advent of the Rotterdam Rules represents the development trend of maritime law in the future,and China has reason to update the structure of the seaworthiness obligation system in the Maritime Law in a timely manner,make a clearer and more reasonable positioning of the seaworthiness obligation,clarify the logical relationship between the seaworthiness obligation and the exemption matter,and appropriately raise the standard of the seaworthiness obligation to extend the carrier's liability period.