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All shipments to or from the Customer, which term shall include
the exporter, importer, sender, receiver, owner, consignor, consignee,
transferor or transferee of the shipments, will be handled by
Clark Worldwide Transportation, Inc.
(herein called the Company) on the following terms and conditions:
1.) Services by Third Parties. Unless
the Company carries, stores or otherwise physically handles the
shipment, and loss, damage, expense of delay occurs during such
activity, the Company assumes no liability as a carrier and is
not to be held responsible for any loss, damage, expense or delay
to the goods to be forwarded or imported except as provided in
paragraph 8 and subject to the limitations of paragraph 9 below,
but undertakes only to use reasonable care in the selection of
carriers, truckmen, lightermen, forwarders, customs brokers,
agents, warehousemen and others to whom it may entrust the goods
for transportation, cartage, handling and/or delivery and/or
storage or otherwise. When the company carries, stores or otherwise
physically handles the shipment, it does so subject to the limitation
of liability set forth in paragraph 8 below unless a separate
bill of lading, air waybill or other contract of carriage is
issued by the Company, in which event the terms thereof shall
govern.
2.) Liability Limitations of Third Parties.
The Company is authorized to select and engage carriers, truckmen,
lightemen, forwarders, customs brokers, agents, warehousemen
and others, as required, to transport, store, deal with and deliver
the goods, all of whom shall be considered as the agents of the
Customer, and the goods may be entrusted to such agencies subject
to all conditions as to limitation of liability for loss, damage,
expense or delay and to all rules, regulations, requirements
and conditions, whether printed, written or stamped, appearing
in bills of lading, receipts or tariffs issued by such carriers,
truckmen, lightemen, forwarders, customs brokers, agents, warehousemen
and others. The Company shall under no circumstances be liable
for any loss, damage, expense or delay to the goods for any reason
whatsoever when said goods are in custody, possession or control
of third parties selected by the Company to forward, enter and
clear, transport or render other services with respect to such
goods.
3.) Choosing Routes or Agents. Unless express
instructions in writing are received from the Customer, the Company
has complete freedom in choosing the means, route and procedure
to be followed in the handling, transportation and delivery of
the goods. Advice by the Company to the Customer that a particular
person or firm has been selected to render services with respect
to the goods shall not be construed to mean that the Company
warrants or represents that such person or firm will render such
services.
4.) Quotations Not Binding. Quotations as to
fees, rates of duty, freight charges, insurance premiums or other
charges given by the Company to the Customer are for informational
purposes only and are subject to change without notice and shall
not under any circumstances be binding upon the Company unless
the Company in writing specifically undertakes the handling or
transportation of the shipment at a specific rate.
5.) Duty to Furnish Information. (a) On an import
at a reasonable time prior to entering of the goods for U.S.
Customs, the Customer shall furnish to the Company invoices in
proper form and other documents necessary or useful in the preparation
of the U.S. Customs entry and, also, such further information
as may be sufficient to establish, interalia, the dutiable value,
the classification, the country of origin, the genuineness of
the merchandise and any mark or symbol associated with it, the
Customer's right to import and/or distribute the merchandise,
and the merchandise's admissibility, pursuant to U.S. law or
regulation. If the Customer fails in a timely manner to furnish
such information or documents, in whole or in part, as may be
required to complete U.S. Customs entry or comply with U.S. laws
or regulations, or if the information or documents furnished
are inaccurate or incomplete, the Company shall be obligated
only to use its best judgment in connection with the shipment
and in no instance shall be charged with knowledge by the Customer
of the true circumstances to which such inaccurate, incomplete,
or omitted information or document pertains. Where a bond is
required by U.S. Customs to be given for the production of any
document or the performance of any act, the Customer shall be
deemed bound by the terms of the bond notwithstanding the fact
that the bond has been executed by the Company as principal,
it being understood that the Company entered into such undertaking
at the instance and on behalf of the Customer, and the Customer
shall indemnify and hold the Company harmless for the consequences
of any breach of the terms of the bond. (b) On an export at a
reasonable time prior to the exportation of the shipment the
Customer shall furnish to the Company the commercial invoice
in proper form and number, a proper consular declaration, weights,
measures, values and other information in the language of and
as may be required by the laws and regulations of the U.S. and
the country of destination of the goods. (c) On an export or
import the Company shall not in any way be responsible or liable
for increased duty, penalty, fine or expense unless caused by
the negligence or other fault of the Company in which event its
liability to the Customer shall be governed by the provisions
of paragraphs 8-10 below. The Customer shall be bound by and
warrant the accuracy of all invoices, documents and information
furnished to the Company by the Customer or its agent for export,
entry or other purposes and the Customer agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company against any increased duty, penalty,
fine or expense including attorney's fees, resulting from any
inaccuracy, incomplete statement, omission or any failure to
make timely presentation, even if not due to any negligence of
the Customer.
6.) Declaring Higher Valuation. Inasmuch as
Truckers, carriers, warehousemen and others to whom the goods
are entrusted usually limit their liability for loss or damage
unless a higher value is declared and a charge based on such
higher value is agreed to by said truckers, etc., the Company
must receive specific written instructions from the Customer
to pay such higher charge based on valuation and the trucker,
etc. must accept such higher declared value: otherwise the valuation
placed by the Customer on the goods shall be considered solely
for export for customs purposes and the goods will be delivered
to the truckers, etc. subject to the limitation of liability
set forth herein in paragraphs 8-10 below with respect to any
claim against the Company and subject to the provisions of paragraph
2 above.
7.) Insurance. The Company will make reasonable efforts to
effect marine, fire, theft and other insurance upon the goods
only after specific written instructions have been received by
the Company in sufficient time prior to shipment from point of
origin, and the Customer at the same time states specifically
the kind and amount of insurance to be placed. Unless the Customer
has its own open marine policy and instructs the Company to effect
insurance under such policy, insurance is to be effected with
one or more insurance companies or other underwriters to be selected
by the Company. Any insurance placed shall be governed by the
certificate or policy issued and will only be effective when
accepted by such insurance companies or underwriters. Should
an insurer dispute its liability for any reason, the insured
shall have recourse against the insurer only and the Company
shall not be under any responsibility or liability in relation
thereto, notwithstanding that the premium upon the policy may
not be at the same rates as that charged or paid to the Company,
or that the shipment was insured under a policy in the name of
the Company. Insurance premiums and the charge of the Company
for arranging the same shall be at the Customer's expense. If
for any reason the goods are held in warehouse, or elsewhere,
the same will not be covered by any insurance, unless the Company
receives written instructions from the Customer. Unless specifically
agreed in writing, the Company assumes no responsibility to effect
insurance on any export or import shipment which it does not
handle.
8.) Limitation of Liability for Loss, etc. (a)
The Customer agrees that the Company shall only be liable for
any loss, damage expense or delay to the goods resulting from
the negligence or other fault of the Company: such liability
shall be limited to an amount equal to the lesser of fifty dollars
($50.00) per entry or shipment or the fee(s) charged for services,
provided that, in the case of partial loss, such amount will
be adjusted, pro rata:
(b) Where the Company issues its own bill of lading and receives
freight charges as its compensation, Customer has the option
of paying a special compensation and increasing the limit of
Company's liability up to the shipment's actual value: however,
such option must be exercised by written agreement, entered into
prior to any covered transaction(s), setting forth the limit
of the Company's liability and the compensation received:
(c) In instances other than in (b) above, unless the Customer
makes specific written arrangements with the Company to pay special
compensation and declare a higher value and Company agrees in
writing, liability is limited to the amount set forth in (a)
above:
(d) Customer agrees that the Company shall, in no event, be
liable for consequential, punitive, statutory or special damages
in excess of the monetary limit provided for above.
9. Presenting Claims. Company shall not be liable
under paragraph 8 for any claims not presented to it in writing
within 90 days of either the date of loss or incident giving
rise to the claim: no suit to recover for any claim or demand
hereunder shall be maintained against the Company unless instituted
within six (6) months after the presentation of the said claim
or such longer period provided for under statute(s) of the State
having jurisdiction of the matter.
10.) Advancing Money. The Company shall not
be obliged to incur any expense, guarantee payment or advance
any money in connection with the importing, forwarding, transporting,
insuring, storing or coopering of the goods, unless the same
is previously provided to the Company by the Customer on demand.
The Company shall be under no obligation to advance freight charges,
customs duties or taxes on any shipment, nor shall any advance
by the Company be construed as a waiver of the provisions hereof.
11.) Indemnification for Freight, Duties. In
the event that a carrier, other person or any governmental agency
makes a claim or institutes legal action against the Company
for ocean or other freight, duties, fines, penalties, liquidated
damages or other money due arising from a shipment of goods of
the Customer, the Customer agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company for any amount the Company may be required to pay
such carrier, other person or governmental agency together with
reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred by the
Company in connection with defending such claim or legal action
and obtaining reimbursement from the Customer. The confiscation
or detention of the goods by any governmental authority shall
not affect or diminish the liability of the Customer to the Company
to pay all charges or other money due promptly on demand.
12.) C.O.D. Shipments. Goods received with Customer's
or other person's instructions to Collect on Delivery (C.O.D.)
by drafts or otherwise, or to collect on any specified terms
by time drafts or otherwise, are accepted by the Company only
upon the express understanding that it will exercise reasonable
care in the selection of a bank, correspondent, carrier or agent
to whom it will send such item for collection, and the Company
will not be responsible for any act, omission, default, suspension,
insolvency or want of care, negligence, or fault of such bank,
correspondent, carrier or agent, nor for any delay in remittance
lost in exchange, or during transmission, or while in the course
of collection.
13.) General Lien on Any Property. The Company
shall have a general lien on any and all property (and documents
relating thereto) of the Customer, in its possession, custody
or control or en route, for all claims for charges, expenses
or advances incurred by the Company in connection with any shipments
of the Customer and if such claim remains unsatisfied for thirty
(30) days after demand for its payment is made, the Company may
sell at public auction or private sale, upon ten (10) days written
notice, registered mail (R.R.R.), to the Customer, the goods,
wares and/or merchandise, or so much thereof as may be necessary
to satisfy such lien, and apply the net proceeds of such sale
to the payment of the amount due to the Company. Any surplus
from such sale shall be transmitted to the Customer, and the
Customer shall be liable for any deficiency in the sale.
14.) Compensation of Company. The compensation
of the Company for its services shall be included with and is
in addition to the rates and charges of all carriers and other
agencies selected by the Company to transport and deal with the
goods and such compensation shall be exclusive of any brokerage,
commissions, dividends or other revenue received by the Company
from carriers, insurers and others in connection with the shipment.
On ocean exports, upon request, the Company shall provide a detailed
breakout of the components of all charges assessed and a true
copy of each pertinent document relating to these Charges. In
any referral for collection or action against the Customer for
monies due the Company, upon recovery by the Company, the Customer
shall pay the expenses of collection and/or litigation, including
a reasonable attorney fee.
15.) No Responsibility for Governmental Requirements.
It is the responsibility of the Customer to know and comply with
the marking requirements of the U.S. Customs Service, the regulations
of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and all other requirements,
including regulations of Federal, state and/or local agencies
pertaining to the merchandise. The Company shall not be responsible
for action taken or fines or penalties assessed by any governmental
agency against the shipment because of the failure of the Customer
to comply with the law or the requirements or regulations of
any governmental agency or with a notification issued to the
Customer by any such agency.
16.) Indemnity Against Liability Arising from the Importation
of Merchandise. The Customer agrees to indemnify and
hold the Company harmless from any claims and/or liability arising
from the importation of merchandise which violates any Federal,
state and /or other laws or regulations and further agrees to
indemnify and hold the Company harmless against any and all liability,
loss, damages, costs, claims and/or expenses, including but not
limited to attorney's fees, which the Company may hereafter incur,
suffer or be required to pay by reason of claims by any government
agency or private party. In the event that any action, suit or
proceeding is brought against the Company by any government agency
or any private party, the Company shall give notice in writing
to the Customer by mail at its address on file with the Company.
Upon receipt of such notice, the Customer at its own expense
shall defend against such action and take all steps as may be
necessary or proper to prevent the obtaining of a judgment and/or
order against the Company.
17.) Loss, Damage or Expense Due to Delay. Unless
the services to be performed by the Company on behalf of the
Customer are delayed by reason of the negligence or other fault
of the Company, the Company shall not be responsible for any
loss, damage or expense incurred by the Customer because of such
delay. In the event the Company is at fault, as aforesaid, its
liability is limited in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs
8-9 above.
18.) Construction of Terms and Venue. The foregoing
terms and conditions shall be construed according to the laws
of the State of New Jersey, U.S.A.. Unless otherwise consented
to in writing by the Company, no legal proceeding against the
Company may be instituted by the Customer, its assigns, or subrogee
except in the City of Trenton.
Approved by the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders
Association of America, Inc. (Revised 6/94)
For shipments moving pursuant to the Shipping Act of 1984
as amended by OSRA, upon request, we shall provide a detailed breakout of the components
of all charges assessed and a true copy of each pertinent document relating to these charges.
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