Terms and Conditions
GO TLC – Standard Trading Conditions for Freight Forwarding Services
PART I: General Conditions
1. Application
1.1
Subject to Clause 1.2, all services of the Company whether gratuitous or not are undertaken subject to these Conditions and not otherwise and:
1.2
Where a document is issued by or on behalf of the Company and bears the title of, or includes the words, “bill of lading” (whether or not negotiable), or sea or air “waybill” and provides that the Company contracts as carrier, the provisions set out in that document, if inconsistent with these Conditions, shall be paramount and prevail over these Conditions to the extent that such provisions are inconsistent but no further.
1.3
Any variation, cancellation or waiver of these Conditions (or any of them) must be in writing signed by a Director of the Company. No other person has or will be given any authority whatsoever to agree to any variation, cancellation or waiver of these Conditions.
2. Provision of Services
2.1
All services are provided by the Company as agents only, except in the following circumstances where the Company acts as principal:
2.2
Without prejudice to the generality of clause 2.1,
2.3
The Company is not a common carrier and will accept no liability as such and it reserves the right to accept or refuse the carriage of any Goods or any other Service at its discretion. All Services are performed subject only to these Conditions (and when applicable but subject to clause 21.6, the conditions on any Bill of Lading or Air Waybill issued by the Company as Principal).
3. Definitions
3
In these conditions:
4. Obligations of Customer
4.1
The Customer warrants that it is either the Owner or the authorised agent of the Owner of the Goods and that it is authorised to accept and accepts these Conditions, not only for itself, but also as agent for and on behalf of the Owner.
4.2
The Customer warrants that it has reasonable knowledge of matters affecting the conduct of its business, including, but not limited to, the terms of sale and purchase of the Goods and all other matters relating thereto.
4.3
The Customer shall give sufficient and executable instructions.
4.4
The Customer warrants that the description and particulars of the Goods are complete and correct.
4.5
The Customer warrants that the Goods are properly packed and labelled, except where the Company has accepted instructions in respect of packaging and/or labelling.
5. Special Instructions, Goods and Services
5.1
Unless agreed in writing, the Customer shall not deliver to the Company, or cause the Company to deal with or handle, Dangerous Goods.
5.2
If the Customer is in breach of Clause 5.1:
5.3
If the Company agrees to accept Dangerous Goods and then it (or any other person) reasonably forms the view that those Goods constitute a risk to other goods, property, life or health, it may (without notice and without liability) have the Goods destroyed or otherwise dealt with at the expense of the Customer or Owner.
5.4
The Customer undertakes not to tender for transportation any Goods which require temperature control without previously giving written notice of their nature and the particular temperature range to be maintained and, in the case of a temperature controlled Container stuffed by or on behalf of the Customer, the Customer further undertakes that:
5.5
If the requirements of Clause 5.4 are not complied with the Company shall not be liable for any loss of or damage to the Goods caused by such non-compliance.
5.6
Unless agreed in writing, the Company shall not be obliged to make any declaration for the purposes of any statute, convention or contract as to the nature or value of any Goods or as to any special interest in delivery or to make any declaration as to specific stowage requirements of any Goods.
5.7
Unless agreed in writing or otherwise provided for under the provisions of a document signed by the Company, instructions relating to the delivery or release of Goods against payment or against surrender of a particular document shall be in writing and the Company’s liability shall not exceed that provided for in respect of misdelivery of Goods.
5.8
Unless agreed in writing that the Goods shall depart by or arrive by a particular date, the Company accepts no responsibility for departure or arrival dates of Goods.
6. Insurance
6.1
No insurance shall be effected except upon express instructions given in writing by the Customer and in effecting any such insurances, the Company shall be deemed to be an agent only of the Customer (other than where by law the Company is deemed to be an agent of the insurer) and not as an insurer, insurance broker or other form of intermediary.
6.2
All insurances effected by the Company are effected as agent only for the Customer (other than where by law the Company is deemed to be an agent of the insurer) and all such insurances are subject to the usual exceptions and conditions of the policies of the insurance company or underwriters taking the risk.
6.3
Unless agreed in writing, the Company shall not be under any obligation to effect a separate insurance on each consignment but may declare it on any open or general policy.
6.4
The Company is an agent only of the Customer in respect of the effecting of insurance (other than where by law the Company is deemed to be an agent of the insurer) and in any event should the insurers dispute their liability for any reason the insured shall have recourse against the insurers only and the Company shall not be under any responsibility or liability whatsoever in relation thereto, notwithstanding that the premium upon the policy may not be at the same rate as that charged by the Company or paid to the Company by the customer.
7. General Indemnities and Liabilities of the Customer and Owner
7.1
The Customer and Owner shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Company against all liability, loss, damage, costs and expenses howsoever arising:
7.2
Except to the extent caused by the Company’s negligence, the Customer and Owner shall be liable for and shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Company in respect of all duties, taxes, imposts, levies, deposits and outlays whatsoever levied by any Authority and for all payments, fines, costs, expenses, loss and damage whatsoever incurred or sustained by the Company in connection therewith.
7.3
Advice and information, in whatever form it may be given, is provided by the Company for the Customer only and the Customer shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Company for all liability, loss, damage, costs and expenses arising out of any other person relying on such advice or information.
7.4
The Customer shall be liable for the loss, damage, contamination, soiling, detention or demurrage before, during and after the Carriage of property of:
7.4-cont
caused by the Customer or Owner or any person acting on behalf of either of them or for which the Customer is otherwise responsible.
7.5
Instructions to collect payment on delivery in cash or otherwise are accepted by the Company upon and on the condition that the Company in the matter of such collection will be liable for the exercise of reasonable diligence and care only. Unless express written instructions are received that the Goods are not to be delivered without payment, the Company accepts no liability if, upon delivery of the goods, payment is not made.
8. Subcontractors
8.1
The Customer undertakes that no claim will be made against any servant, sub-contractor or agent of the Company which imposes or attempts to impose upon any of them any liability whatsoever in connection with the Goods. If any such claim should nevertheless be made, the Customer undertakes to indemnify the Company against all consequences thereof.
8.2
Without prejudice to Clause 8.1, every servant, sub-contractor or agent of the Company shall have the benefit of all provisions herein as if such provisions were expressly for their benefit. In entering into this contract, the Company, to the extent of those provisions, does so not only on its behalf, but as agent and trustee for such servants, sub-contractors and agents.
8.3
The Customer shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Company from and against all claims, costs and demands whatsoever and by whomsoever made or preferred, in excess of the liability of the Company under these Conditions.
8.4
Without prejudice to the generality of this Clause 8, the indemnity referred to in Clause 8.3, shall cover all claims, costs and demands arising from or in connection with the negligence of the Company, its servants, sub-contractors and agents.
8.5
In this Clause, “sub-contractors” includes direct and indirect sub-contractors and their respective employees, servants and agents.
9. Charges etc.
9.1
The Customer shall pay to the Company in cash, or as agreed, all sums immediately when due without deduction or deferment on account of any claim, counterclaim or set-off.
9.2
When the Company is instructed to collect freight, duties, charges or other expenses from any person other than the Customer, the Customer:
9.3
On all accounts overdue to the Company, the Company shall be entitled to liquidated damages, such liquidated damages to be calculated at 4 per cent above the base interest rate of the Company’s bank applicable during the periods that such amounts are overdue.
9.4
The Customer shall be liable for and pay to the Company any additional costs or expenses the Company may incur and for any loss or damage occasioned either directly or indirectly to the Company as a result of the Company relying upon the description and particulars provided by the Customer or by reason of any illegal, incorrect or insufficient marking, numbering or addressing of the Goods.
10. Liberties and Rights of the Company
10.1
Unless otherwise agreed in writing, the Company shall be entitled to enter into contracts on behalf of itself or the Customer and without notice to the Customer:
10.2
The Company shall be entitled (without incurring any additional liability), but shall be under no obligation, to depart from the Customer’s instructions in any respect if the Company considers there is good reason to do so in the Customer’s interest.
10.3
The Company may at any time comply with the orders or recommendations given by any Authority. The responsibility and liability of the Company in respect of the Goods shall cease on the delivery or other disposition of the Goods in accordance with such orders or recommendations.
10.4
The Company shall be entitled (but under no obligation) at any time and from time to time to inspect the Goods and for this purpose to open or remove any Containers.
10.5
If at any time the Company reasonably considers that the carriage of the Goods should not be undertaken or continued or only continued after effecting any necessary incidental matters or incurring additional expense or risk, the Company shall be entitled to:
10.6
If the Company (or any person whose services the Company makes use of) considers:
10.6-cont
the Company may (upon giving notice in writing to the Customer or Owner) treat the performance of its obligations as terminated and may, at the Customer’s expense, place the Goods or any part of them at the Customer’s or Owner’s disposal at any place which the Company deems safe and convenient.
10.7
The notice in writing referred to in Clause 10.6 is not required where it is not reasonably possible to give such notice.
10.8
Where the Company exercises its rights and obligations under Clause 10.6, responsibility and liability of the Company in respect of the Goods shall thereupon cease absolutely.
10.9
Where the Company (or any person whose services the Company makes use of) is entitled to call upon the Customer or Owner to take delivery of the Goods at a designated time and place and delivery of the Goods, or any part thereof, is not taken by the Customer or Owner at the designated time and place the Company (or such other person) shall be entitled to store the Goods in the open or under cover at the sole risk and expense of the Customer.
10.10
Notwithstanding Clauses 10.6 to 10.9, the Company shall be entitled (but under no obligation) without any responsibility or liability to the Customer and Owner, to sell or dispose of
10.11
Where the Company sells or disposes of Goods pursuant to Clause 10.10 the Customer shall be responsible for any costs and expenses of the sale or disposal.
10.12
The Company shall be entitled to retain and be paid all brokerages, commissions, allowances and other remunerations customarily retained by or paid to freight forwarders without notice to the Customer.
10.13
The Company shall have the right to enforce against the Owner and the Customer jointly and severally any liability of the Customer under these Conditions or to recover from them any sums to be paid by the Customer which upon demand have not been paid.
11. Lien
11.1
The Company shall have a particular and general lien on all Goods or documents relating to Goods in its possession the property of the Customer or Owner for all sums due at any time from the Customer or Owner (whether those sums are due from the Customer on those Goods or documents or on any other Goods or documents).
11.2
Where any sum due to the Company from the Customer or Owner remains unpaid, the Company, on giving 28 days notice in writing to the Customer, shall be entitled (without liability to the Customer and Owner) to sell or dispose of such Goods or documents by public auction or by private treaty at the risk and expense of the Customer and Owner and to apply the proceeds of any such sale or disposal in or towards the payment of the sums due.
12. Containers
12.1
If a Container has not been packed or stuffed by the Company, the Company shall not be liable for loss of or damage to the contents if caused by:
12.1(d)
the fact that the Container is not sealed at the commencement of the Carriage, except where the Company has agreed to seal the Container.
12.2
The Customer shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Company against all liability, loss, damage, costs and expenses arising from one or more of the matters referred to in Clause 12.1, except for Clause 12.1(c)(i).
12.3
Where the Company is instructed to provide a Container, in the absence of a written request to the contrary, the Company is not under an obligation to provide a Container of any particular type or quality.
13. General Liability
13.1
Except where otherwise provided in these Conditions, the Company shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from:
13.2
Subject to Clause 5.8, the Company shall not be liable for loss or damage howsoever caused (whether or not indirect or consequential) to property other than the Goods themselves and shall not be liable for any pure economic loss or loss of profit, delay or deviation howsoever arising.
14. Amount of Compensation
14.1
Except in so far as otherwise provided in these Conditions, the liability of the Company, howsoever arising, shall not exceed the value of the Goods the subject of the claim or the sum of 2 SDR per kilogram of the gross weight of the Goods the subject of the claim, whichever is the lesser.
14.2
The Company shall be entitled to prove that the actual value of the Goods was less than 2 SDR per kilogram of the gross weight of the Goods.
