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DOI :10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002   IUP :10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002    Full Text (PDF)

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges

Kübra Yetiş Şamlı

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 epidemic a pandemic on March 12, 2020. In a short time, the coronavirus disease had affected the entire world. Among the many negative consequences of the pandemic is damage to the world trade and economy. The maritime industry initially faced the worst effects of the pandemic. This is because the transportation in international trade is mostly performed by sea. Because the ships visit numerous ports all around the world, maritime commerce was affected instantly from the time the pandemic began.

In this study, the effects of pandemic on maritime carrier’s liability and the carrier’s right to recover freight charges were researched. First, the consequences of the pandemic were discussed with regard to the unseaworthiness of the ship at the beginning of the voyage. Then, the issue was approached with respect to the liability of the carrier for loss resulting from loss of or damage to the goods or from delay in delivery. Finally, the effect of interruption or delay of the voyage due to the pandemic on the calculation of freight fixed per time and the effect of the loss or damage to the goods due to the pandemic on the carrier’s right to recover freight charges were examined. These issues were studied with regard to the provisions of Turkish Commercial Code regulating maritime commerce.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, Maritime commerce, Maritime carrier’s liability, Unseaworthiness, Quarantine restrictions, Deviation, Freight charges
DOI :10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002   IUP :10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002    Full Text (PDF)

COVID-19 Pandemisinin Taşıyanın Sorumluluğu ve Navlun Alacağı Üzerindeki Etkileri

Kübra Yetiş Şamlı

Dünya Sağlık Örgütü tarafından 12 Mart 2020 tarihinde pandemi olarak ilan edilen COVID-19 salgını, kısa sürede tüm dünyayı etkisi altına almıştır. Hayatı pek çok açıdan son derece olumsuz şekilde etkileyen salgın, dünya ticareti ve ekonomisine de büyük zarar vermiştir. COVID-19 salgınının olumsuz etkileri ile ilk ve en ağır şekilde yüzleşen sektörlerden biri, kuşkusuz deniz ticaretidir. Zira uluslararası ticarette taşımacılık büyük oranda deniz yolu ile gerçekleştirilmektedir. Gemilerin dünyanın çok çeşitli limanlarına uğraması dolayısıyla salgının başlaması ile birlikte denizcilik sektöründe etkileri de hissedilmeye başlanmıştır.

Çalışmada salgının deniz yoluyla eşya taşıyanın sorumluluğuna ve taşıyanın navlun alacağına etkisi incelenmiştir. Bu çerçevede öncelikle taşıyanın Türk Ticaret Kanunu’nun Deniz Ticareti Hukuku’na ayrılan 5. Kitabı’nda düzenlenen sorumluluk sebeplerinden, geminin başlangıçtaki elverişsizliğinden sorumluluğu (TTK m 1141) ile eşyanın zıyaa veya hasara uğraması yahut geç teslim edilmesinden ileri gelen zararlardan sorumluluğu (TTK m 1178 vd) bakımından salgının etki ve sonuçları değerlendirilmeye çalışılmıştır. Daha sonra salgına bağlı sebeplerle eşyanın zıyaa veya hasara uğramasının taşıyanın navlun alacağına etkisi ile, navlunun zaman üzerine kararlaştırıldığı hâllerde, salgın nedeniyle yolculuğun kesintiye uğraması veya uzamasının navlunun hesaplanmasına etkisi ele alınmıştır.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemisi, Deniz ticareti, Taşıyanın sorumluluğu, Başlangıçtaki elverişsizlik, Karantina sınırlamaları, Rotadan sapma, Navlun alacağı

EXTENDED ABSTRACT


The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 epidemic a pandemic on March 12, 2020. The coronavirus affected the entire world quickly. The pandemic has had many negative consequences, including its effects on world trade and the world economy. The maritime industry initially suffered the worst of the negative effects of the pandemic. This is because transportation in international trade is mostly performed by sea. Because ships visit numerous ports all around the world, maritime commerce was affected instantly by the pandemic.

In this study, the effects of the pandemic on a maritime carrier’s liability and right to recover freight charges are researched. First, the effects and consequences of the pandemic were discussed with regard to the unseaworthiness of the ship at the beginning of the voyage. This is one of the grounds of carrier’s liability regulated in Turkish Commercial Code (TCC), Number 6102. The epidemic in ship, that is among the master and crew may cause the unseaworthiness of the ship. If this occurs at the beginning of the voyage, it is special grounds for a carrier’s liability regulated in Art 1141 of the TCC. The fact that the ship becomes unseaworthy and the possibility of holding the carrier liable for the resulting loss or damage are different issues. The carrier shall not be liable for loss or damage arising or resulting from unseaworthiness unless it was caused by lack of due diligence on the part of the carrier. In the context of pandemic, due diligence has to be examined regarding the measures that could reasonably be required to avoid the occurrence and its consequences. The measures that could reasonably be required must be determined in light of the course of the pandemic. The measures that are to be required from the carrier are not exactly the same at the beginning as they are at the later stages of the pandemic. Because, the information regarding COVID-19, it’s effects, and the measures to be taken for prevention of the contagion were very limited at the beginning of the epidemic. However, it must be emphazied that even during that period a commercial company must act prudently.

The second issue discussed in this study in respect to the liability of the carrier is the liability for loss resulting from loss of or damage to the goods, as well as from delay in delivery, which is another grounds of liability regulated in Art 1178 et seq. of the TCC. Two ancient maritime concepts are relevant in this context. One of them is the likelihood that the loss or damage or delay in delivery took place because of quarantine restrictions. The burden of proof shall be on the person claiming compensation from the carrier to show that the actual fault or neglect of the carrier or of the agents or servants of the carrier caused to the loss or damage or delay in delivery. The second concept is reasonable deviation. Namely, any deviation in saving or attempting to save life or property at sea or any reasonable deviation shall not be deemed to be a breach of the contract of carriage, and the carrier shall not be liable for any loss or damage or delay in delivery resulting therefrom. Thus, the consequences of quarantine restrictions due to epidemic in the port state or in the ship and of the deviation due to the epidemic on the ship or at the port of call are examined in this context.

Finally, the effect of the pandemic on the carrier’s claim of freight charges was researched. The amount of freight may be fixed per time in the carriage contract. In such a case, any interruption or delay of the voyage because of the pandemic may affect the calculation of the amount of freight payable. On the other hand, whether the loss or damage of the goods is due to pandemic also must be researched and that may affect the carrier’s right to claim freight charges. These issues are analyzed within the scope of Art 1194 and Art 1199 of the TCC.


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APA

Şamlı, K.Y. (2020). The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges. Istanbul Law Review, 78(2), 299-311. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002


AMA

Şamlı K Y. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges. Istanbul Law Review. 2020;78(2):299-311. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002


ABNT

Şamlı, K.Y. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges. Istanbul Law Review, [Publisher Location], v. 78, n. 2, p. 299-311, 2020.


Chicago: Author-Date Style

Şamlı, Kübra Yetiş,. 2020. “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges.” Istanbul Law Review 78, no. 2: 299-311. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002


Chicago: Humanities Style

Şamlı, Kübra Yetiş,. “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges.” Istanbul Law Review 78, no. 2 (Jun. 2024): 299-311. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002


Harvard: Australian Style

Şamlı, KY 2020, 'The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges', Istanbul Law Review, vol. 78, no. 2, pp. 299-311, viewed 26 Jun. 2024, https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002


Harvard: Author-Date Style

Şamlı, K.Y. (2020) ‘The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges’, Istanbul Law Review, 78(2), pp. 299-311. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002 (26 Jun. 2024).


MLA

Şamlı, Kübra Yetiş,. “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges.” Istanbul Law Review, vol. 78, no. 2, 2020, pp. 299-311. [Database Container], https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002


Vancouver

Şamlı KY. The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges. Istanbul Law Review [Internet]. 26 Jun. 2024 [cited 26 Jun. 2024];78(2):299-311. Available from: https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002 doi: 10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002


ISNAD

Şamlı, KübraYetiş. “The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Maritime Carrier’s Liability and Right to Recover Freight Charges”. Istanbul Law Review 78/2 (Jun. 2024): 299-311. https://doi.org/10.26650/mecmua.2020.78.2.0002



TIMELINE


Submitted23.06.2020
Accepted04.09.2020
Published Online16.10.2020

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