UNITED KINGDOM STANDARD CONDITIONS FOR TOWAGE AND OTHER SERVICES
(REVISED 1974)
1. a) The agreement between the Tugowner and the Hirer is and shall at all times be subject to and include each and all of the conditions hereinafter set out.
b) For the purpose of these conditions:
i) “Towing” is any operation in connection with the holding, pushing, pulling, moving, escorting or guiding of the Hirer’s vessel, and the expressions “to tow”, “being towed” and “towage” shall be defined likewise.
ii) “Vessel” shall include any vessel, craft or object of whatsoever nature (whether or not coming within the usual meaning of the word “vessel”) which the Tugowner agrees to tow or to which the Tugowner agrees at the request, express or implied, of the Hirer, to rend er any service of whatsoever nature other than towing.
iii) “Tender” shall include any vessel, craft or object of whatsoever nature which is not a tug but which is provided by the Tugowner for the performance of any towage or other service.
iv) The expression “whilst towing” shall cover the period commencing when the tug or tender is in a position to receive orders direct from the Hirer’s vessel to commence pushing, holding, moving, escorting, or guiding the vessel or to pick up ropes or lines, or when the tow rope has been passed to or by the tug or tender, whichever is the sooner, and ending when the final orders from the Hirer’s vessel to cease pushing, holding, moving, escorting, or guiding the vessel or to cast off ropes or lines has been carried out, or the tow rope has been finally slipped, whichever is the later, and the tug or tender is safely clear of the vessel.
v) Any service of whatsoever nature to be performed by the Tugowner other than towing shall be deemed to cover the period commencing when the tug or tender is placed physically at the disposal of the Hirer at the place designated by the Hirer, or, if such be at a vessel, when the tug or tender is in a position to receive and forthwith carry out orders to come alongside and shall continue until the employment for which the tug or tender has been engaged is ended. If the service is to be ended at or off a vessel the period of service shall end when the tug or tender is safely clear of the vessel or, if it is to be ended elsewhere, then when any persons, baggage, goods, mails, specie, ship or engine parts or gear of articles of whatsoever description have been landed or discharged from the tug or tender and/or the service for which the tug or tender has been required is ended.
vi) The word “tug” shall include “tugs”, the word “tender” shall include “tenders”, the word “vessel” shall include “vessels”, the word “Tugowner” shall include “Tugowners”, and the word “Hirer” shall include “Hirers”.
vii) The expression “Tugowner” shall include any person or body (other than the Hirer or the owner of the vessel on whose behalf the Hirer contracts provided in Clause 2 hereof) who is a party to this agreement whether or not he in fact owns any tug or tender, and the expression “other Tugowner” contained in Clause 5 hereof shall be construed likewise.
2. If at the time of making this agreement or of performing the towage or of rendering any service other than towing at the request, express or implied, of the Hirer, the Hirer is not the owner of the vessel referred to herein as “the Hirer’s vessel”, the Hirer expressly represents that he is authorized to make and does make this agreement for and on behalf of the owner of the said vessel subject to each and all of these conditions and agrees that both the Hirer and the Owner are bound jointly and severally by these conditions.
3. Whilst towing or whilst at the request, express or implied, of the Hirer, rendering any service other than towing, the master and crew of the tug or tender shall be deemed to be the servants of the Hirer and under the control of the Hirer and/or his servants and/or his agents, and anyone on board the Hirer’s vessel who may be employed and/or paid by the Tugowner shall likewise be deemed to be the servant of the Hirer and the Hirer shall accordingly be vicariously liable for any act or omission by any such person so deemed to be the servant of the Hirer.
4. Whilst towing, or whilst at the request, either express or implied, of the Hirer, rendering any service of whatsoever nature other than towing:
a) The Tugowner shall not be responsible for or liable
i) for damage of any description done by or to the tug or tender, or done by or to the Hirer’s vessel or done by or to any cargo or other thing on board or being loaded on board or intended to be loaded on board the Hirer’s vessel or the tug or tender or by or to any other object or property; or
ii) for loss of the tug or tender or the Hirer’s vessel or of any cargo or other thing on board or being loaded on board or intended to be loaded on board the Hirer’s vessel or the tug or tender or any other object or property; or
iii) for any personal injury or loss of life howsoever and wheresoever caused including personal injury or loss of life of the master and/or crew of and/or any person on board the tug or tender; or
iv) for any claim by a person not a party to this agreement for loss or damage of any description whatsoever, arising from any cause, including (without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) negligence at any time of the Tugowner’s servants or agents, unseaworthiness, unfitness or breakdown of the tug or tender, its machinery, boilers, towing gear, equipment, lines, ropes or hawsers, lack of fuel, stores, speed or otherwise, and
b) The Hirer shall be responsible for, pay for and indemnify the Tugowner against and in respect of any loss or damage and any claims of whatsoever nature or howsoever arising or caused whether covered by the provisions of Clause 4(a) hereof or not (including any arising from or caused by the negligence of the Tugowner or his servants or agents) including the loss of or damage to the tug or tender, provided that the Hirer shall not be liable to the Tugowner for or in respect of loss, damage or claims which the Hirer proves (the burden of proof being on the Hirer) to have been solely caused by the failure of the Tugowner, and due to the actual fault or privity of the Tugowner, to make his tug or tender seaworthy for the towage or service other than towage.
Provided however, notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, the Tugowner shall under no circumstances be responsible for or be liable for any loss or damage caused or contributed to, by or arising out of any delay or detention of the Hirer’s vessel or of the cargo on board or being loaded on board or intended to be loaded on board the Hirer’s vessel or of any other object or property or of any person, or any consequences thereof, whether or not the same shall be caused or arise whilst towing or whilst at the request, either express or implied of the Hirer, rendering any service of whatsoever nature other than towing or at any other time whether before, during or after the making of this agreement.
5. The Tugowner shall at any time be entitled to substitute one or more tugs or tenders for any other tug or tender or tugs or tenders. The Tugowner shall at any time (whether before or after the making of this agreement between him and the Hirer) be entitled to contract with any other Tugowner (hereinafter referred to as “the other Tugowner”) to hire the other Tugowner’s tug or tender and in any such event it is hereby agreed that the Tugowner is acting (or is deemed to have acted) as the agent for the Hirer, notwithstanding that the Tugowner may in addition, if authorized whether expressly or impliedly by or on behalf of the other Tugowner, act as agent for the other Tugowner at any time and for any purpose including the making of any agreement with the Hirer, in any event should the Tugowner as agent for the Hirer contract with the other Tugowner for any purpose as aforesaid it is hereby agreed that such contract is and shall at all times be subject to the provisions of these conditions so that the other Tugowner is bound by the same and may as a principle sue the Hirer thereon and shall have the full benefit of these conditions in every respect expressed or implied therein.
6. Nothing contained in these conditions shall limit, prejudice or preclude in any way any legal rights which the Tugowner may have against the Hirer including, but not limited to, any rights which the Tugowner or his servants or agents may have to claim salvage remuneration or special compensation for any extraordinary services rendered to vessels or anything aboard the vessels by any tug or tender. Furthermore, nothing contained in these conditions shall limit, prejudice or preclude in any way any right which the Tugowner may have to limit his liability.
7. The Tugowner will not in any event be responsible or liable for the consequences of war, riots, civil commotions, acts of terrorism or sabotage, strikes, lockouts, disputes, stoppages or labour disturbances (whether he be a party thereto or not) or anything done in contemplation of furtherance thereof or delays of any description, howsoever caused or arising, including by the negligence of the Tugowner or his servants or agents.
8. The Hirer of the tug or tender engaged subject to these conditions undertakes not to take or cause to be taken any proceedings against any servant or agent of the Tugowner or other Tugowner whether or not the tug or tender be substituted or hired or the contract or any part thereof has been sublet to the owner of the tug or tender, in respect of any negligence or breach of duty or other wrongful act on the part of such servant or agent which, but for this present provision, it would be competent for the Hirer so to do and the owners of such tug or tender shall hold this undertaking for the benefit of their servants or agents.
9. . FORUM SELECTION/CHOICE OF LAW
All disputes, actions, causes of action, claims or demands arising out of or relating to the services provided by the Hirer shall be brought exclusively before the Supreme Court of British Columbia or the Federal Court of Canada situated in Vancouver, .C., and no other court shall have jurisdiction with regard to any such action. The law of Canada shall apply.