cap letter 502

CAP-MARINE
A s s u r a n c e s & R é a s s u r an c e s S . A . S .
We b : w w w.c a p - m a r in e .c o m
CAP-LETTER
HEADLINES
♦ NEW VERSION OF THE
New version of the LOF 2011
1
LOF 2011
Numéro 50
Juillet 2011
The Lloyd’s Salvage Arbitration Branch, the body responsible for administering
the Lloyd’s Open Form of Salvage Agreement, has recently issued a new version of the form.
♦ LEGAL : adding off-hire 2
periods to basic charter
period
♦ Adhésion de l’UE au
protocole d’Athènes
♦ Piraterie / Piracy
3
♦ New Cap-Marine office in
Geneva
♦ « Les Cartographes & Les 4
Nouveux Mondes »
♦ Insurance Market
♦ La réforme portuaire
s’applique partout
♦ IUMI Annual Conference
Marine Insurance &
Reinsurance Brokers
SIEGE SOCIAL (ROUEN)
Espace Leader, rue Gustave Eiffel
BP 861
76235 BOIS-GUILLAUME CEDEX
FRANCE
Tel : +33 (0) 2 35 98 26 46
BUREAU DE PARIS
11, Bd Jean Mermoz
92522 NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE CEDEX
France
Tel : +33 (0) 1 41 92 54 00
BUREAU DE NANTES
« Le Beaumanoir » 15 rue Lamoricière
Entrée A—B.P. 78704
44187 NANTES CEDEX 4
France
Tel. : +33 (0) 2 40 69 31 96
BUREAU DE GENEVE
6 rue Kleberg
1201 GENEVE
Suisse
Tél: +41 22 361 75 10
Rédacteurs
Jean-Jacques GIRARD (Neuilly)
Gaspard MOTTE (Bois-Guillaume)
Although the overall number of LOF cases
was down in 2010 from 122 in 2009, the
use of LOF in the salvage industry continues
to remain strong. In 2010, Lloyd’s reported
that there were 111 new LOF cases referred to the LSAB. There were 16 awards
made, with an average award of 14.4% of
the salved values involved. Approximately
34% of cases were ultimately settled before any award was made.
The latest additions to the LOF system
through LOF 2011 introduce a number of
further useful changes. The two most significant changes introduced by LOF 2011 relate to the publishing of awards and the
procedures to be followed in respect of
salvage services provided to container vessels.
The publishing of awards represents an efforts by Lloyd’s to help make London salvage arbitration more transparent and,
therefore, more acceptable to both salvors
and property underwriters alike. Previously,
awards were kept confidential. Now the
awards, along with their underlying reasons,
will routinely be made available via the
Lloyd’s website 21 days after publication of
the award, albeit on a subscription basis.
The parties can apply to the arbitrator to
prevent the publication of an award where
there is “good reason” for withholding it. It
is likely that such applications will relate to
commercially sensitive information which a
party wishes to keep confidential.
There are also provisions for the publishing
of an award to be postponed if it is in the
process of being appealed.
So far as containerships are concerned, the
LOF 2011 changes relate to the costs involved in dealing with ‘unrepresented’
cargo.
Prior to LOF 2011, in order for an award to
be valid against unrepresented cargo owners, it was necessary for the salvor to have
given each of them proper notice of the
arbitration proceedings.
However, under the new Clause 13 of the
Lloyd’s Standard Salvage and Arbitration
clauses (the LSSA clauses), salvors may now
give valid notice of the arbitration proceedings to unrepresented parties through the
entity providing the security (usually the
cargo insurers). This will have the effect of
greatly simplifying the notification procedure and reducing the costs involved.
Another problem for the salvor of a container vessel with unrepresented cargo interests involves the situation where a settlement
agreement is reached between the salvor
and the represented interests. The problem
is that, without the agreement of the unrepresented interests, the salvor has little choice
other than to proceed with the costly arbitration procedure and to obtain an award
against the unrepresented interests. Now,
however, subject to the approval of the arbitrator, Clause 14 of the new LSSA clauses
allows an agreement reached with 75% (by
value) of the represented cargo interests to
bind the remaining unrepresented cargo
interests. This then avoids the cost of proceeding through the full arbitration procedure.
Finally, subject to the approval of the arbitrator, Clause 15 of the LSSA clauses allows
low-value salved cargo to be excused from
liability for salvage where the cost of including it is likely to be disproportionate to the
contribution involved.
Source: Simon Tatham is a partner in the London
office of Wikborg Rein
CAP-LETTER
LEGAL
Vessel redelivery - adding off-hire periods to basic charter period
The redelivery of a vessel seems to be a constant source for disagreement. In a recent London arbitration, a question
arose concerning the adding of a fairly substantial off-hire period to the basic hire period.
The vessel was chartered on the NYPE form, but the standard clause 13 had been expressly deleted. Clause 13 otherwise includes in the charter party term that charterers will have the “option of continuing” the charter for a further
period (to be inserted) on the “giving written notice” and this notice must be given previous to the expiration of the
first named (i.e. the basic) term. Here, clause 13 was expressly deleted.
The charter was for a period of 13-15 months, 15 days more or less in the charterers’ option. During the agreed
charter period, however, the vessel was off-hire for a substantial length of time, namely 159 days as a result of repairs being undertaken.
The charterers believed that they were entitled to add the 159-day period to the basic charter period. They relied
on a provision in line 17 of the charter party saying: “charterers’ option to add any off-hire period”. A rider clause
also stated that “charterers have the option to add any off-hire period in the charter period.”
The owners thought that neither line 17 nor clause 58 could, on their own, mean that charterers were entitled to add
the off-hire period. The owners argued that line 17 and clause 58 would require that the charterers should expressly
exercise their option to add on the off-hire period i.e. they should effectively give written notice to the owners.
The Tribunal in London held that it was not necessary for any term to be implied since the redelivery notice provision
in the charter gave the owners as much notice as they could reasonably expect. In this particular case, the charterers
had not given any redelivery notice as they believed they were entitled simply to add on the 159-day period. No
express notice from charterers was therefore necessary.
The Tribunal even went on to say that even if its own conclusion was wrong, the charterers had given constructive notice in the sense that from their behaviour it could be inferred that they had effectively given notice that they wanted
to add on the further 159-day period to the charter period. Again, in this respect, the tribunal referred to the fact
that the charterers had not given any redelivery notices and furthermore charterers had in fact paid hire (without any
relevant deductions) which clearly signified the charterers’ belief and intention to continue the charter for the further
additional 159-day period.
The fact that no deduction of redelivery bunkers was made in the latest hire payment clearly demonstrated to the
tribunal that the owners had received a clear indication from charterers that they intended to continue to employ the
vessel during the whole of the next hire period.
Either way, at least on the particular facts of this case, the charterers were entitled to add on the off-hire period.
Source: Skuld; Friday, 06 May 2011 00:00
Transport maritime : adhésion de l’UE au protocole d’Athènes
Le Conseil des ministres des Transports de l’UE a adopté, le 31 mars, la décision
approuvant l’adhésion de l’Union européenne au protocole de 2002 à la Convention d’Athènes relative au transport maritime de passagers, qui améliore le droit
existant en matière de responsabilité des transporteurs et d’indemnisation des
personnes en cas d’accident.
La plupart des dispositions du protocole ont été intégrées dans le droit de l’UE
(Règlement 392/2009, dont l’application est prévue à compter de 2013 au plus
tard) mais un certain nombre de ses dispositions reste de la compétence des Etats membres, d’où la nécessité pour eux
d’adhérer aussi individuellement au protocole.
La décision prévoit que l’UE adhère au protocole avant le 31 décembre 2011 et que les Etats membres prennent les
mesures nécessaires pour faire de même « si possible » avant la même date. Le protocole d’Athènes est censé entrer en
vigueur lorsqu’un certain nombre de ratifications aura été atteint, d’où l’intérêt d’une adhésion rapide de l’UE et des
Etats membres pour que celui-ci puisse s’appliquer à compter de 2013, en même temps que le règlement communautaire.
Source : Affaires Européennes; 1er avril 2011
CAP-LETTER
PIRATERIE / PIRACY
650 marins aux mains des pirates
Le 25 juin était la Journée internationale des marins
de l'Organisation Maritime Internationale. Une occasion de plus et bien nécessaire de rappeler qu'actuellement 650 marins sont aux mains des pirates en
Somalie.
La confédération des associations de la marine marchande veut " faire connaître et rappeler leur condition d'otages. Certains sont torturés et tués, et ceci
de plus en plus souvent, lors des difficiles négociations pour la libération des navires et de leurs équipages". Pour un marin de commerce, la durée
moyenne de retenue en otage dépasse les 7 mois.
Et le nombre de marins tués dans le cadre de la piraterie somalienne prend des proportions dramatiques. L'association SOS Seafarers a ainsi dénombré
62 morts violentes de marins liées à la piraterie ces
quatre dernières années. Meurtres, suicides en captivité, malnutrition, l'association tire également la sonnette d'alarme sur les pratiques de tortures de plus
en plus utilisées par les pirates. En plus de s'en servir
comme bouclier humain sur des navires transformés
en bateaux-mères, les pirates brutalisent les équipages, parfois jusqu'à la mort. Des marins racontent
ainsi avoir été enfermés dans les frigos de leurs navires, avoir été battus, entravés avec des câbles ou
encore suspendus sur la lisse du bateau.
Un très bon reportage, sur le site Rue89, raconte
ainsi les longues semaines d'une prise d'otage à
bord d'un navire indien retenu en Somalie. http://
www.rue89.com/2011/06/12/temoignageexclusif-une-prise-dotages-racontee-de-linterieur209012
Consultation on the use of armed guards on Norwegian registered vessels
In a response to consultation papers from Norwegian authorities, Cefor has argued in favour of clarifications that will support Norwegian shipping companies in their safety assessments to secure crew, ship and cargo off the coast of Somalia
and in the Arabian Sea Area.
International Affair
Interim guidance on the employment of privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships transiting
the high-risk piracy area off
the coast of Somalia and in the
Gulf of Aden and the wider
Indian Ocean was approved by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC), which met at the Organization's London Headquarters for its 89th session from 11 to 20 May 2011.
The MSC approved an MSC Circular on Interim guidance to
shipowners, ship operators, and shipmasters on the use of privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships in
the High Risk Area, and Interim recommendations for flag
States on the use of privately contracted armed security personnel on board ships in the High Risk Area. Both sets of guidance are aimed at addressing the complex issue of the employment of private, armed security on board ships.
The guidance to shipowners notes that flag State jurisdiction
and any laws and regulations imposed by the flag State concerning the use of private security companies apply to their
vessels. Port and coastal States’ laws may also apply to such
vessels.
Source: Class NK ; May 2011
NEW CAP-MARINE OFFICE IN GENEVA
OUVERTURE D’UN BUREAU CAP-MARINE A GENÈVE
In order to follow the business of its international clients, namely those involved
in trade, Cap-Marine opened a new office in Geneva on June 14th this year.
Afin de suivre les activités de sa clientèle internationale, notamment dans le
milieu du négoce, Cap-Marine a ouvert le 14 juin dernier un bureau à Genève.
6 rue Kleberg 1201 GENÈVE—SUISSE
Tél: + (41) 22 361 75 10
CAP-LETTER
« Les cartographes & les nouveaux mondes
Une représentation normande des grandes découvertes »
Cap-Marine a réalisé une opération de mécénat culturel pour favoriser la
parution d’un livre remarquable sur les cartographes normands de la Renaissance, aux éditions Point de vues.
Plus d’informations sur le site www.pointdevues.com
Vous pouvez également lire un article intéressant sur cet ouvrage en suivant
le lien que voici :
http://www.voilesetvoiliers.com/culture-voile/article/5772/ouvragecolossal-des-editions-point-de-vues-cartographes-normands-de-larenaissance-la-carte-est-leur-territoire
TOKIO MARINE profit plunged
South of England in 110% cash call
Tokio Marine Holdings Inc., a major insurance holding company, said its net profit plunged in fiscal
2010 ended in March due largely to the payment
of insurance claims in the wake of massive earthquakes in New Zealand in February and in Japan
the following month.
The UK P&I club says the large number of small claims forced
its hand. The club is calling 20% on the 2007 year payable
within 30 days, 45% on 2008 due in July and 45% on 2009
payable in September.
Group net profit came to 71.92 billion yen down
44.0 percent from the previous year on operating
revenues of 3.29 trillion yen, down 7.9 percent. Net
premium revenues were 2.27 trillion yen, down 0.9
percent.
Source: Kyodo News InternationalSunday, 22 May 2011
The Bermuda-domiciled club is also giving a preliminary warning that claims on the 2010 year continued at a high level and
there could in due course be a call of up to 45% on that year.
The South of England Club is managed by a Liechtenstein company but underwriting is run from Zurich and claims handling
from Brighton in the UK.
Source: By Jim Mulrenan, London ; 9th June 2011
La réforme portuaire s'applique partout
La réforme des ex-ports autonomes, transformés en Grands Ports Maritimes dans le cadre de la loi de 2008, s'applique désormais sur tout
le territoire. Vendredi, les outillages et personnels de manutention du
port de Nantes Saint-Nazaire ont été transférés vers les opérateurs
privés, tout comme à Bordeaux, où un accord avait été signé la veille
au soir. Le transfert avait déjà été réalisé à Marseille, Le Havre, Dunkerque, Rouen et La Rochelle précédemment.
Complétant la réforme de 1992 sur les dockers, la nouvelle réforme a
notamment permis de clarifier les rôles au sein des grandes places
portuaires françaises et de regrouper sous un commandement unique
tous les personnels de manutention.
Source : Mer et Marine, 14 juin 2011
IUMI Annual Conference 2011
Paris, 18 - 21 September 2011
Common Theme:
Marine Insurance - The Evolution of Risk, Safety and Security
Crédits photo: G.Motte