Carriage of goods in containers by sea : Liability of the ship operator and the warehouseman who took over the cargo : [case review]

Abstract

Brodar nije odgovoran za manjak tereta koji je primio u zapečaćenom kontejneru, ako je zapečaćen kontejner predao primatelju i u teretnici unio opasku \u27\u27said to contain\u27\u27 i ako pošiljatelj ne dokaže da je predao brodaru onoliko tereta koliko je navedeno u teretnici. Okolnost da se teret nalazi u zapečaćenom kontejneru dovoljan je razlog da postoji razumna nemogućnost kontroliranja sadržaja i količine tereta. Skladištar kojemu je brodar predao teret dužan je postupati prema propisima Zakona o obveznim odnosima. Na temelju tih propisa sladištar je obvezan ostavitelju predati teret u stanju i količini kako ga je primio. Ostavitelj mora biti brodar od kojega je skladištar preuzeo teret, ako je njemu dispoziciju za preuzimanje i uskladištenje dala druga osoba. Pod ovom pretpostavkom ta je osoba ostavitelj. Ako se radi o kontejnerima, skladištar je u pogledu njihovog otvaranja dužan postupati prema dispoziciji ostavitelja. Ako je u dispoziciji navedeno da ostavitelj mora biti obaviješten o mjestu i vremenu otvaranja kontejnera, a skladištar tako ne postupi već pristupi otvaranju i pražnjenju kontejnera bez obavijesti ostavitelju, tada je skladištar odgovoran za eventualni manjak.The ship operator is not liable for a shortage of cargo he received in a sealed container if he delivers the sealed container to the consignee with the reservation \u27\u27said to contain\u27\u27 included in the bill of lading, and if the consignor does not prove that he delivered to theship operator the quantity of cargo stated in the bill of lading. The fact that the cargo is in a sealed container makes the control of the quantity and contents reasonably impossible. The warehouseman to whom the ship operator delivered the cargo is under obligation to act in accordance with the Law on Obligations. This means that the warehouseman is obliged to deliver the cargo to the depositor in the same quantity and condition as he received it. If the shipping instruction for taking over and storing the cargo are given to the warehouseman by a person other than the ship operator, that person is deemed to be the depositor. As regards the unsealing of the containers, the warehouseman is under obligation to act in accordance with the depositor\u27s instructions. If it is provided that the depositor must be informed of the place and time of opening the container, and the warehouse keeper does not proceed to the opening and discharge of the container without notice to the holder, then the warehouse keeper is liable for a possible shortage