试论期租下停租条款的几个问题
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摘要
停租条款(off-hire clause)是几乎每一个期租合同都订明的条款，该条款规定在一些特定的情况下承租人可以中止履行其支付租金的义务。按照英美普通法，在租期内承租人持续不断的准时支付租金的义务是绝对的。承租人不得以任何理由拖延、拒付或扣减到期租金，即承租人应独自承担租期内一切时间损失风险。但对承租人而言，其支付租金的目的在于换取船舶能为其提供最有效的服务，因此如果船舶不能到做这一点却仍然要承租人履行支付租金的绝对义务是勉为其难的。为保护自己的利益，转嫁部分的时间损失风险，承租人往往要在期租合同中订入停租条款。由于在实践中常有对停租条款中承租双方权利义务的争议，因此正确理解这一条款有一定实际意义。由于实践中NYPE’46使用得较多，故本文基本，上就是以NYPE为基础，比较各期租标准合同中停租条款的规定，并兼论中国海商法的有关规定。
第一章笔者针对停租条款的法律属性进行阐述，而为了阐述的系统性，先对定期租约以及租金的法律属性简单地作一介绍，继而分析停租条款的法律属性。
停租条款是不论过失或违约条款(No fault provision)，即无论是谁的过错，只要出现合同中列明的停租事项，承租人即可主张停租条款所赋予的权利，停止支付相应的租金，出租人不得以其履约中没有过失作为其抗辩的理由。
停租条款，作为一种除外条款(Being in the nature of an exception)，按照英美普通法的观点，如果解释起来有争议，应作不利于租家的解释，因为该条款是针对其纯获利益。
停租制度下，租家没有义务合理处理降低损失或者返还其它节省的费用，与损害赔偿完全不同。停租条款的目的是减轻租家租期内由于没有使用船舶而不间断支付租金的义务，条款不需要停租事项必须是由船东的过失造成。相反，该条款强调的是实际风险分摊条款。
另外以前有观点认为行使停租是承租人行使同时履行抗辩权，而从举证责任、合同义务两方面就可以看出简单地把停租看作是承租人行使同时履行抗辩权是不恰当的，笔者认为只能说是行使抗辩权的一种。
第二章就停租条款的解释和分类，笔者分析延迟(Delay)和滞留(Detention)二者之间的区别及其区别的重要性，然后结合案例分析条款里的“立即需要的服务、阻止了船舶的完全工作”，以及净时间损失条款和期间停租条款的区别。
第三章分析停租条款中的近因原则运用，在引起时间损失情况有多种情况下，引用近因原则来分析停租是否成立具有非常好的效果，即只有当造成时间损失的近
因是属于停租事项时，停租才可以成立。
第四章主要结合案例分析停租条款与雇佣赔偿条款的关系，在除非船长能够举
出足够的证据表明如果遵守租船人的航行指令会危及船舶和l或船员的安全，他必
须依据雇佣赔偿条款遵守租船人的指令，否则就成立停租，船东就会对因此而产生
的延迟损失赔偿。
第五章分析了具体的停租事项及主要定期租约范本之间的区别。
第六章分析停租与保险之间的关系及对停租问题的总结。
Every time charter party must have an off-hire clause under which the charterer can discharge his obligation of continuous paying hire during the chartering period. Under the English common law, the obligation to pay hire is unabated from the time of the vessel's delivery until the time of her redelivery. The charterer cannot postpone, deduct, reject paying the due hire relying on any reason. That is to say, the charterer shall carry all the risk of time loss during the chartering period alone. But as to the charterer, the object of paying hire is to utilize the ship full efficiently. It's reluctant to paying hire still while the ship is less efficient. To protect his interest, shift the risk of time loss, the charterer turns to the off-hire clause of the time charter party. In practice, the parties of the charter party always argue on the right and obligation arising from the off-hire clause. So it's necessary to understand and construe the clause correctly and properly. This article analyzes the clause on the basis of NYPE chartering form which is most frequently used and contains six chapters.
Chapter 1 expatiates on the legal property of the clause. To maintain the systematical expatiation, the property of the time charter party and the hire is introduced at first.
The off-hire is typical no-fault provision, and operates independently of fault or breach. The charter cannot defend himself on no fault or breach.
The off-hire clause, being the nature of an exception, should be construed narrowly against the charter, since it is included for his sole benefit. If there is a doubt as to what the words mean, then those words must be read in favor of the owners because the charterer is attempting to cut down the owner's right to hire.
As an allocation of risk, distinct from the damage breach, the charterer has no duty to act reasonably in order to mitigate its loss and to credit any savings in cost.
Chapter 2 expatiates on the construction of the off-hire clause and sorts into 2 kinds - net loss of time clause and period clause, according to the test of resumption of hire. In addition, the differences between the delay and detention also referred and emphasized.
Chapter 3 refers to the proximate cause in the off-hire event and its application in practice. Only when the dominating cause of the delay is the enumerated cause of the off-hire clause, the off-hire appeal can be upheld.
Chapter 4 analyzes the relation of off-hire clause and employment and indemnity clause. Unless the master can demonstrate the enough evidence to show it will danger the ship and crew according to the order of the charterer, he must act under the orders and directions of the Charterer as regards employment and agency. If not, the delay from the master's decision would lead to off hire.
Chapter 5 analyzes the enumerated cause of the off-hire clause and compares the differences between several typical time charter forms.
Chapter 6 is the conclusion of this article and relation between the off hire and marine insurance.
第一章笔者针对停租条款的法律属性进行阐述，而为了阐述的系统性，先对定期租约以及租金的法律属性简单地作一介绍，继而分析停租条款的法律属性。
停租条款是不论过失或违约条款(No fault provision)，即无论是谁的过错，只要出现合同中列明的停租事项，承租人即可主张停租条款所赋予的权利，停止支付相应的租金，出租人不得以其履约中没有过失作为其抗辩的理由。
停租条款，作为一种除外条款(Being in the nature of an exception)，按照英美普通法的观点，如果解释起来有争议，应作不利于租家的解释，因为该条款是针对其纯获利益。
停租制度下，租家没有义务合理处理降低损失或者返还其它节省的费用，与损害赔偿完全不同。停租条款的目的是减轻租家租期内由于没有使用船舶而不间断支付租金的义务，条款不需要停租事项必须是由船东的过失造成。相反，该条款强调的是实际风险分摊条款。
另外以前有观点认为行使停租是承租人行使同时履行抗辩权，而从举证责任、合同义务两方面就可以看出简单地把停租看作是承租人行使同时履行抗辩权是不恰当的，笔者认为只能说是行使抗辩权的一种。
第二章就停租条款的解释和分类，笔者分析延迟(Delay)和滞留(Detention)二者之间的区别及其区别的重要性，然后结合案例分析条款里的“立即需要的服务、阻止了船舶的完全工作”，以及净时间损失条款和期间停租条款的区别。
第三章分析停租条款中的近因原则运用，在引起时间损失情况有多种情况下，引用近因原则来分析停租是否成立具有非常好的效果，即只有当造成时间损失的近
因是属于停租事项时，停租才可以成立。
第四章主要结合案例分析停租条款与雇佣赔偿条款的关系，在除非船长能够举
出足够的证据表明如果遵守租船人的航行指令会危及船舶和l或船员的安全，他必
须依据雇佣赔偿条款遵守租船人的指令，否则就成立停租，船东就会对因此而产生
的延迟损失赔偿。
第五章分析了具体的停租事项及主要定期租约范本之间的区别。
第六章分析停租与保险之间的关系及对停租问题的总结。
Every time charter party must have an off-hire clause under which the charterer can discharge his obligation of continuous paying hire during the chartering period. Under the English common law, the obligation to pay hire is unabated from the time of the vessel's delivery until the time of her redelivery. The charterer cannot postpone, deduct, reject paying the due hire relying on any reason. That is to say, the charterer shall carry all the risk of time loss during the chartering period alone. But as to the charterer, the object of paying hire is to utilize the ship full efficiently. It's reluctant to paying hire still while the ship is less efficient. To protect his interest, shift the risk of time loss, the charterer turns to the off-hire clause of the time charter party. In practice, the parties of the charter party always argue on the right and obligation arising from the off-hire clause. So it's necessary to understand and construe the clause correctly and properly. This article analyzes the clause on the basis of NYPE chartering form which is most frequently used and contains six chapters.
Chapter 1 expatiates on the legal property of the clause. To maintain the systematical expatiation, the property of the time charter party and the hire is introduced at first.
The off-hire is typical no-fault provision, and operates independently of fault or breach. The charter cannot defend himself on no fault or breach.
The off-hire clause, being the nature of an exception, should be construed narrowly against the charter, since it is included for his sole benefit. If there is a doubt as to what the words mean, then those words must be read in favor of the owners because the charterer is attempting to cut down the owner's right to hire.
As an allocation of risk, distinct from the damage breach, the charterer has no duty to act reasonably in order to mitigate its loss and to credit any savings in cost.
Chapter 2 expatiates on the construction of the off-hire clause and sorts into 2 kinds - net loss of time clause and period clause, according to the test of resumption of hire. In addition, the differences between the delay and detention also referred and emphasized.
Chapter 3 refers to the proximate cause in the off-hire event and its application in practice. Only when the dominating cause of the delay is the enumerated cause of the off-hire clause, the off-hire appeal can be upheld.
Chapter 4 analyzes the relation of off-hire clause and employment and indemnity clause. Unless the master can demonstrate the enough evidence to show it will danger the ship and crew according to the order of the charterer, he must act under the orders and directions of the Charterer as regards employment and agency. If not, the delay from the master's decision would lead to off hire.
Chapter 5 analyzes the enumerated cause of the off-hire clause and compares the differences between several typical time charter forms.
Chapter 6 is the conclusion of this article and relation between the off hire and marine insurance.
引文
1 杨良宜编著 《期租合约》 第1版．大连海事大学出版社，1997．3
2 尹东年，郭瑜著 《海上货物运输法》第1版．人民法院出版社，2000．9
3 杨良宜著《国际商务游戏规则——英国合约法》修订版中国政法大学出版社，2000．3
4 郭萍著<试论延滞损失的几个法律问题>，载于中国海商法年刊，1997
5 张永坚著 《浅析船舶运费／租金的支付》，载于中国海商法年刊，1990
6 陈卫东著 《论近因原则》，世界海运，2000，2
7 杨璟著《定期租船的停租条款》，学位论文，上海海运学院，1996
8 杨良宜，汪鹏南编著 《英国海上保险条款详论》，大连海事大学出版社，1996
9 郭明瑞，房绍坤著《新合同法原理》，中国人民大学出版社，第1版
10 Stewart C. Body, Andrew S. Burrows, David Foxton 《SCRUTTON ON CHARTERPARTIES》, 19th edition。
11 MICHAEL WILFORD 《TIME CHARTERS》, 3rd edition
12 PHILIP BUSH 《DELAY AND DETENTION》, TULANE MARITIME LAW JOURNAL, SUMMER 2001
13 JOHN WEALE 《THE NYPE OFF-HIRE CLAUSE AND THIRD PARTY INTERVENTION: CAN AN EFFICIENT VESSEL BE PLACED OFF-HIRE?》, JOURNAL OF MARITIME LAW & COMMERCE, APRIL 2002
14 LARS GORTON 《SHIPBROKING AND CHARTERING PRACTICE》
15 The "Alresford", [1942]72 Lloyd's Rep. 159, 165
16 The "Nanfri", [1978]2 Lloyd's Rep. 132(C.A.); [1979]1 Lloyd's Rep.201(H.L.)
17 《"DETENTION" AND THE NYPE OFF-HIRE CLAUSE》, Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly, May 2002
18 《Navigation or Employment》, Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly, May 2002
19 The "Hill Harmony", [1999]2 Lloyd's Rep.209, [2001]1 Lloyd's Rep. 147, [1998]2 Lloyd's Rep367
20 The "Trade Nomad", [1999]1 Lloyd's Rep.723, [1998]1 Lloyd's Rep57
21 The "Nour”, [1999]1 Lloyd's Rep1
22 Deutsche Ost-Afrike V. Legent, [1998]2 Lloyd's Rep.71
23 The "Laconian Confidence" , [1997]1 Lloyd's Rep. 139
24 The "Fina Sanco", [1995]2 Lloyd's Rep. 344, [1994]1 Lloyd's Rep. 153
25 The "Ira" , [1995]1 Lloyd's Rep. 103
26 The "Apollo", [1978]1 Lloyd's Rep.200
27 The "Aquacharm", [1982]1 Lloyd's Rep. 7, [1980]2 Lloyd's Rep237
28 The "Bridgestine", [1985]2 Lloyd's Rep. 62
29 The "Manhattan Prince", [1985]1 Lloyd's Rep. 140
30 Raoul Colinvaux 《The Law of Insurance》 4th Edition
31 R J Lambeth 《Marine Insurance》 5th Edition
32 Parks Alex L 《Law Of Tug, Tow, And Pilotage》 3rd Edition
2 尹东年，郭瑜著 《海上货物运输法》第1版．人民法院出版社，2000．9
3 杨良宜著《国际商务游戏规则——英国合约法》修订版中国政法大学出版社，2000．3
4 郭萍著<试论延滞损失的几个法律问题>，载于中国海商法年刊，1997
5 张永坚著 《浅析船舶运费／租金的支付》，载于中国海商法年刊，1990
6 陈卫东著 《论近因原则》，世界海运，2000，2
7 杨璟著《定期租船的停租条款》，学位论文，上海海运学院，1996
8 杨良宜，汪鹏南编著 《英国海上保险条款详论》，大连海事大学出版社，1996
9 郭明瑞，房绍坤著《新合同法原理》，中国人民大学出版社，第1版
10 Stewart C. Body, Andrew S. Burrows, David Foxton 《SCRUTTON ON CHARTERPARTIES》, 19th edition。
11 MICHAEL WILFORD 《TIME CHARTERS》, 3rd edition
12 PHILIP BUSH 《DELAY AND DETENTION》, TULANE MARITIME LAW JOURNAL, SUMMER 2001
13 JOHN WEALE 《THE NYPE OFF-HIRE CLAUSE AND THIRD PARTY INTERVENTION: CAN AN EFFICIENT VESSEL BE PLACED OFF-HIRE?》, JOURNAL OF MARITIME LAW & COMMERCE, APRIL 2002
14 LARS GORTON 《SHIPBROKING AND CHARTERING PRACTICE》
15 The "Alresford", [1942]72 Lloyd's Rep. 159, 165
16 The "Nanfri", [1978]2 Lloyd's Rep. 132(C.A.); [1979]1 Lloyd's Rep.201(H.L.)
17 《"DETENTION" AND THE NYPE OFF-HIRE CLAUSE》, Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly, May 2002
18 《Navigation or Employment》, Lloyd's Maritime and Commercial Law Quarterly, May 2002
19 The "Hill Harmony", [1999]2 Lloyd's Rep.209, [2001]1 Lloyd's Rep. 147, [1998]2 Lloyd's Rep367
20 The "Trade Nomad", [1999]1 Lloyd's Rep.723, [1998]1 Lloyd's Rep57
21 The "Nour”, [1999]1 Lloyd's Rep1
22 Deutsche Ost-Afrike V. Legent, [1998]2 Lloyd's Rep.71
23 The "Laconian Confidence" , [1997]1 Lloyd's Rep. 139
24 The "Fina Sanco", [1995]2 Lloyd's Rep. 344, [1994]1 Lloyd's Rep. 153
25 The "Ira" , [1995]1 Lloyd's Rep. 103
26 The "Apollo", [1978]1 Lloyd's Rep.200
27 The "Aquacharm", [1982]1 Lloyd's Rep. 7, [1980]2 Lloyd's Rep237
28 The "Bridgestine", [1985]2 Lloyd's Rep. 62
29 The "Manhattan Prince", [1985]1 Lloyd's Rep. 140
30 Raoul Colinvaux 《The Law of Insurance》 4th Edition
31 R J Lambeth 《Marine Insurance》 5th Edition
32 Parks Alex L 《Law Of Tug, Tow, And Pilotage》 3rd Edition