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.
(a) “Company” shall mean DIMAR INTERNATIONAL CARGO, CORP., its
subsidiaries, related companies, agents and/or representatives;
(b) “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,
shipper’s 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;
(c) “Documentation” shall mean all information received directly or
indirectly from Customer, whether in paper or electronic form;
(d) “Ocean Transportation Intermediaries” (“OTI”) shall include an
“ocean freight forwarder” and a “non-vessel operating carrier”;
(e) ‘’Third parties” shall include, but not be limited to, the
following: “carriers, truckmen, cartmen, lightermen, forwarders, OTIs,
customs brokers, agents, warehousemen and others to which the goods
are entrusted for transportation, cartage, handling and/or delivery
and/or storage or otherwise”.
(f) 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 to the extent
they conflict with these terms and conditions. Otherwise, both sets of
terms and conditions shall apply.
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.
(a) 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 claim; the failure to give the Company
timely notice shall be a complete defense to any suit or action
commenced by Customer.
(b) All suits against Company must be filed and properly served on
Company as follows:
(i) For claims arising out of ocean transportation, within one (1)
year from the date of the loss;
(ii) For claims arising out of air transportation, within two (2)
years from the date of the loss;
(iii) 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);
(iv) 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
actions(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
charges 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 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 Customer; Customer shall use reasonable care
to insure 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 agrees
that 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 therefor; in the absence of written instructions or
the refusal of the third party to agree to a higher declared value, at
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 no 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 and 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 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 or transaction, by requesting such coverage and
agreeing to make payment therefor, 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 under (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
Company for the entry, whichever is less;
(e) In no event shall Company be liable or responsible for
consequential, indirect, incidental, statutory or punitive damages
even if it has been put on notice of the possibility 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 the Company.
11. Indemnification/Hold
Harmless. The
Customer agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold the Company harmless
from any claims and/or liability arising from the importation or
exportation of customers merchandise and/or any conduct of the
Customer, which violates any Federal, State and/or other laws, and
further agrees to indemnity 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 fees, 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 “Deliver (C.O.D.)” shipments, bank drafts, cashier’s
and/or certified checks, letter(s) of credit and other similar payment
documents and/or instructions regarding collection of monies but shall
not have 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 15% per annum or the highest rate allowed by law,
whichever is less, unless a lower amount is agreed to by 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 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 or private sale or
auction and any net proceeds remaining thereafter shall be refunded to
Customer.
15. No Duty to
Maintain Records for Customer. Customer
acknowledges that pursuant to Sections 508 and 509 of the Tariff Act,
as amended, (19 USC §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 Statute(s) and/or Regulation(s), but not
act as a “record keeper” or “record keeping agent” for Customer.
16. Obtaining
Binding Rulings, Filing 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, filing 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 deal with the goods
and such compensation shall be exclusive of 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 Florida
without giving consideration to principals of conflict of law.
Customer and Company
(a) irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the United States
District Court and the State courts of Florida;
(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.