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These terms and conditions
of service constitute a legally binding contract between
the “Company” and the “Customer”.
In the event the Company renders services and issues a document
containing Terms and Conditions governing such services,
the Terms and Conditions set forth in such other document(s)
shall govern those services.
1. Definitions: “Company”
shall mean FREIGHTCO LOGISTICS, its subsidiaries, related
companies, agents and/or representatives. “Customer”
shall mean the person for which the Company is rendering
service, as well as its agents and/or representatives, including,
but not limited to, shippers, importers, exporters, carriers,
secured parties, warehousemen, buyers and/or sellers, shippers
agents, insurers and underwriters, break-bulk agents, consignees,
etc. It is the responsibility of the Customer to provide
notice and copy(s) of these terms and conditions of service
to all such agents or representatives. “Documentation”
shall mean all information received directly or indirectly
from Customer, whether in paper or electronic form. “Ocean
Transportation Intermediaries (OTI) shall include an “ocean
freight forwarder” and a “non-vessel operating
carrier”, “Third Parties” shall include,
but not be limited to the following; carriers, truckmen,
cartmen, lightermen, forwards, OTI’s, custom brokers,
agents, warehousemen and others to which the goods are entrusted
for transportation, carriage handling and/or delivery and/or
storage or otherwise.
2. Company as Agent: The Company
acts as the “agent” of the Customer for the
purpose of performing duties in connection with the entry
and release of goods, post entry services, the securing
of export licenses, the filing of export documentation on
behalf of the Customer and other dealings with Government
Agencies, as to all other services, Company acts as an independent
contractor.
3. Limitation of Actions: Unless
subject to a specific statute or international convention,
all claims against the Company for a potential or actual
loss must be made in writing and received by the Company
within ninety (90) days of the event giving rise to the
claim, failure to give the Company timely notice shall be
a complete defense to any suit or action commenced by Customer.
All suits against Company must be filed and properly served
on Company as follows: (a) For claims arising out of ocean
transportation, within one (1) year from the date of the
loss, (b) For claims arising out of air transportation,
within two (2) years from the date of the loss, (c) For
claims arising out of the preparation and/or submission
of an import entry(s), within seventy five (75) days from
the date of liquidation of the entry(s), (d) For any and
all other claims of any other type, within two (2) years
from the date of the loss or damage.
4. No Liability for the Selection
or Services of Third Parties and/or Routes. Unless services
are performed by persons or firms engaged pursuant to express
written instructions from the Customer, Company shall use
reasonable care in its selection of third parties or in
selecting the means, route and procedure to be followed
in the handling, transportation, clearance and delivery
of the shipment, advice by the Company 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 nor does Company assume responsibility
or liability for any action(s) and/or inaction(s) of such
third parties and/or its agents, and shall not be liable
for any delay or loss of any kind, which occurs while a
shipment is in the custody or control of a third party or
the agent of a third party; all claims in connection with
the Act of a third party shall be brought solely against
such party and/or its agents; in connection with any such
claim, the Company shall reasonably cooperate with the Customer,
which shall be liable for any changes or costs incurred
by the Company.
5. 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; no quotation shall be binding upon the Company
unless the Company in writing agrees to undertake the handling
or transportation of the shipment at a specific rate or
amount set forth in the quotation and payment arrangements
are agreed to between the Company and the Customer.
6. Reliance on Information
Furnished. (a) Customer acknowledges that it is required
to review all documents and declarations prepared and/or
filed with the Customs Service, other Government Agency
and/or third parties, and will immediately advise the Company
of any errors, discrepancies, incorrect statements, or omissions
on any declaration filed on the Customers behalf; (b) in
preparing and submitting customs entries, export declarations,
applications, documentation and/or export data to the United
States and/or a third party, the Company relies on the correctness
of all documentation, whether in written or electronic format,
and all information furnished by the Customer; Customer
shall use reasonable care to ensure that the correctness
of all such information and shall indemnify and hold the
Company harmless from any and all claims asserted and/or
liability or losses suffered by reason of the Customer’s
failure to disclose information or any incorrect or false
statement by the Customer upon which the Company reasonably
relied. The Customer has an affirmative non-delegable duty
to disclose any and all information required to import,
export or enter the goods.
7. Declaring Higher Value to
Third Parties. Third parties to whom the goods are entrusted
may limit liability for loss or damage; the Company will
request excess valuation coverage only upon specific written
instructions from the Customer, which must agree to pay
any charges therefore; in the absence of written instructions
or the refusal of the third party to agree to a higher declared
value, at the Company’s discretion, the goods may
be tendered to the third party, subject to the terms of
the third party’s limitations of liability and/or
terms and conditions of service.
8. Insurance. Unless requested
to do so in writing and confirmed to Customer in writing,
Company is under no obligation to procure insurance on Customer’s
behalf; in all cases, Customer shall pay all premiums and
costs in connection with procuring requested insurance.
9. Disclaimers; Limitation
of Liability. (a) Except as specifically set forth herein,
Company makes on express or implied warranties in connection
with its services; (b) Subject to (c) below. Customer agrees
that in connection with any and all services performed by
the Company, the Company shall only be liable for its negligent
acts, which are the direct proximate cause of any injury
to Customer, including loss or damage to Customer’s
goods, and the Company shall in no event be liable for the
acts of the third parties; (c) In connection with all services
performed by the Company, Customer may obtain additional
liability coverage, up to the actual or declared value of
the shipment transaction, by requesting such coverage and
agreeing to make payment therefore, which request must be
confirmed in writing by the Company prior to rendering services
for the covered transaction(s); (d) in the absence of additional
coverage (b) above, the Company’s liability shall
be limited to the following (i) where the claim arises from
activities other than those relating to customs brokerage
$50.00 per shipment or transaction, or (ii) where the claim
arises from activities relating to “Customs business”,
$50.00 per entry or the amount of brokerage fees paid to
the Company for the entry which ever is less; (e) in no
event shall the Company be liable or responsible for consequential,
indirect, incidental, statutory or punitive damages even
if it has been put on notice of such damages.
10. Advancing Money. All charges
must be paid by Customer in advance unless the Company agrees
in writing to extend credit to Customer. The granting of
credit to a Customer in connection with a particular transaction
shall not be considered a waiver of this provision by Company.
11. Indemnification/Hold Harmless.
The Customer agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold the Company
harmless from any claims and/or the liability arising from
the importation or exportation of customers’ merchandise
and/or conduct of the Customer which violates any Federal,
State and/or, other laws, 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 reasonable attorney’s fess, which
the Company may hereafter incur, suffer or be required to
pay by reason of such claims; in the event that any claim,
suit or proceeding is brought against the Company, it shall
give notice in writing to the Customer by mail at its address
on file with the Company.
12. C.O.D. or Cash Collect
Shipments. Company shall use reasonable care regarding written
instructions relating to “Cash/Collect on Delivery”
(C.O.D.) shipments, bank drafts, cashier’s and/or
certified checks, letter(s) of credit and other similar
payment document and/or instructions regarding the collection
of monies but shall have no liability if the bank or consignee
refuses to pay for the shipment.
13. Costs of Collection. In
any dispute involving monies owed to Company, the Company
shall be entitled to all costs of collection, including
reasonable attorney’s fees and interest at 18% per
annum or the highest rate allowed by law, whichever is less,
unless a lower amount is agreed to by the Company.
14. General Lien and Right
to Sell Customer’s Property. (a) Company shall have
a general and continuing lien on any and all property of
Customer coming into Company’s actual or constructive
possession, or control for monies owed to Company with regard
to the shipment on which the lien is claimed, a prior shipment(s)
and/or both; (b) Company shall provide written notice to
Customer of its intent to exercise such lien, the exact
amount of monies due and owing, as well as any on-going
storage or other charges; Customer shall notify all parties
of having an interest in its shipment(s) of Company’s
rights and/or the exercise of such lien; (c) unless within
thirty days of receiving notice of lien, Customer posts
cash or letter of credit at sight, or, if the amount due
is in dispute, an acceptable bond equal to 110% of the value
of the total amount due, in favor of Company, guaranteeing
payment of the monies owed, plus all storage charges accrued
or to be accrued. Company shall have the right to sell such
shipment(s) at public auction or private sale or auction
and any net proceeds remaining thereafter shall be returned
to customer.
15. No Duty to Maintain Records
for Customer. Customer acknowledges the pursuant to Sections
508 and 509 of the Tariff Act, as amended, (19 USC paragraph
1508 and 1509) it has the duty and is solely liable for
maintaining all records required under the Customs and/or
other Laws and Regulations of the United States; unless
otherwise agreed to in writing, the Company shall only keep
such records that it is required to maintain by Statue(s)
and/or Regulations, but not act as “recordkeeper”
or “recordkeeping agent” for the Customer.
16. Obtaining Binding Rulings,
Filling Protests, etc. Unless requested by Customer in writing
and agreed to by Company in writing, Company shall be under
no obligation to undertake any pre, or post Customs release
action, including but not limited to, obtaining binding
rulings, advising of liquidations, filling of petition(s)
and/or protests, etc.
17. Preparation and issuance
of Bills of Lading. Where Company prepares and/or issues
a bill of lading, Company shall be under no obligation to
specify thereon the number of pieces, packages, and/or cartons,
etc; unless specifically requested to do so in writing by
Customer or its agent and Customer agrees to pay for same.
Company shall rely upon and use the cargo weight supplied
by Customer.
18. No Modification or Amendment
Unless Written. These terms and conditions of service may
only be modified, altered or amended in writing signed by
both Customer and Company; any attempt to unilaterally modify,
alter or amend same shall be null and void.
19. 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 to deal with the goods and such compensation
shall be exclusive if 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.
20. Severability. In the event
any Paragraph(s) and/or portion(s) hereof is found to be
invalid and/or unenforceable, then in such event the remainder
hereof shall remain in full force and effect.
21. Governing Law; Consent
to Jurisdiction and Venue. These terms and conditions of
service and the relationship of the parties shall be construed
according to the laws of the State of Washington without
giving consideration to principals of conflict of law. Customer
and Company (a) irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction
of the United States Supreme Court and the State courts
of Washington; (b) agree that any action relating to the
services performed by Company, shall only be brought in
said courts; (c) consent to the exercise of in personam
jurisdiction by said courts over it, and (d) further agree
that any action to enforce a judgment may be instituted
in any jurisdiction.
Copyright by the National Customs
Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, Inc. (Rev.
01/00)
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