The case of (The Kyzikos) (1989) is a House of Lords decision which held the exception clause should only apply where the unavailability of the berth is the sole reason the vessel cannot enter berth. Accordingly the words ‘Whether in berth or not’ should apply only to cases where a berth is not available and not also to cases where a berth is available but is not reachable due to bad weather. In other words NOR can be served when a berth is not available, but cannot be served when a berth is not available which is not reachable due to bad weather.
A case in 2011 (The Hang Ta) is an interesting case with similar circumstances but concerning a cargo sales contract (and not a voyage charterparty) including the words WIBON. On that voyage, the vessel arrived at the discharge port of Amsterdam and tendered NOR. The berth was occupied but the vessel would also have been prevented from entering into berth due to bad weather conditions.
The buyer’s position was that since the berth was unavailable because it was both occupied and inaccessible due to bad weather, the NOR was invalid in reliance on the judgement in The Kyzikos case.
The seller’s argument was simply that if the vessel cannot reach berth due to the berth being occupied and due to bad weather, the NOR can be tendered if the weather lifts before the berth becomes available.
Judgement was given in favour of the sellers. It is noteworthy there is a difference in interpretation under a voyage charterparty and under a sales contract. Under a voyage charterparty the NOR could be tendered if the sole cause of the delay was berth unavailability. Under a sales contract, the NOR could be tendered if the proximate cause of the delay was berth unavailability.
See attached file : ALCO20120008NOR – Whether in berth or not.pdf
装卸准备就绪通知书 – “不论靠泊与否” 条款
The Kyzikos (1989) 是上议院判决的一个案子，法院认为免责条款只适用于泊位不可用是使船舶不能靠泊的唯一原因的情况。因此，”不论靠泊与否” 条款，只适用于泊位不可用的情况，而不适用于泊位可用，但因恶劣天气使船舶不能靠泊的情况。也就说，当泊位不可用时，可以递交装卸准备就绪通知书，而因恶劣天气使泊位不可用时，就不能递交装卸准备就绪通知书。
2011年 The Hang Ta 一案是一个类似的有趣案例。该案有关货物销售合同（非航次租约），合同中订明了”不论靠泊与否”（WIBON）条款。该航次中，船舶到达卸货港—阿姆斯特丹（Amsterdam），并提交了装卸准备就绪通知书。当时泊位拥挤，同时船舶也因恶劣天气状况而不能靠泊。
买方立场是，既然因泊位拥挤和恶劣天气使泊位不可用，那么依据 The Kyzikos 一案的判决，装卸准备就绪通知书无效。
卖方则认为，如果船舶由于泊位拥挤和恶劣天气不能靠泊，那么只要在泊位可用前天气放晴了，就可以提交装卸准备就绪通知书。
法院支持卖方主张。值得注意的是，航次租约和销售合同对同一问题的解释存在差别。航次租约规定，如果泊位不可用是导致延迟的唯一原因，可以递交装卸准备就绪通知书。而销售合同规定，如果泊位不可用是导致延迟的近因，可以递交装卸准备就绪通知书。
以上由 ANDREW LIU & CO.,LTD 编译，应以英文为准！
详细信息请参阅附件。
