对“维多利亚号”租船纠纷案的评析

The Lessee’s Right to Terminate the Time Charter Contract——Some Comments on "Victoria " Case

在定期租船合同履行期间,承租人遭遇不可抗力,承租人能否以此为理由解除合同尚有争议,承租人行使解除权之前,首先要看合同中是否将不可抗力事件作为解除条件;在合同中没有约定的情况下,承租人要行使法定解除权,则要看不可抗力对合同影响的程度,只有当不可抗力事件让合同目的根本落空的情况下,承租人才能行使解除权。如果承租人误将不可抗力事件视为合同解除的条件,其单方解除的行为应该承担相应的违约责任。

When charter contract is signed,it is the lessee’ s primary obligation to pay rent on time.During the performance of the contract,when the lessee confronts force majeure,whether the lessee can cancel the contract for this reason is umcertain.The lessee has the right to cancel the contract when the contract contains force majeure clauses as cancelling condition.When such clauses don’t exist in the contract,it may caused the lessee more trouble to exercise the statutory right of cancellation.Only if the force majeure will frustrate the fundamental purpose of the contract,the lessee can terminate the time charter contract.If the lessee wrongfully terminates the time charter contract unilaterally when he confronts force majeure,he should bear the corresponding consequences of the breach of contract.