8．困难作业费用及额外港口费用
本案双方一致确认，“东平山”轮在卸货港新港发现货损后，经出租人、收货人及天津港第五港埠公司协商，决定由出租人预支港口困难作业费用人民币50万元，分两次支付，按实际作业等产生的费用计收，多退少补。申请人向港方支付了人民币20万元，被申请人向港方支付了人民币近30万元。被申请人主张其还支付了移泊引航、拖轮、系解缆及海事报告签证费等额外港口费用共人民币24583元。双方当事人都认为该困难作业费用及额外港口费用应由对方承担。
申请人认为，根据NYPE格式条款第8条等的规定，应由承租人负责货物的装卸费用及港口相关费用。申请人垫付了人民币20万元的困难作业费，因此，“东平山”轮在新港卸货过程中产生的困难作业费用及额外港口费用本来就应由被申请人承担。另外，“东平山”轮在交船前进行了检验，证明其开航前和开航当时是一艘适航的船舶。其船员为了保证船舶安全航行和货物不受损坏，还专门贴了封舱胶，这说明船员在管理船舶和货物上是恪尽职责和谨慎处理的。该轮在航行途中遭遇暴风巨浪，船甲板、舱盖上均结了厚冰，货损是由于天气原因，船舶长时间经受大风浪的袭击造成的。根据提单所包括的海牙规则的规定，申请人不应对因天气原因造成货损的后果负责。申请人还认为，前述困难作业费用中包括了正常的卸货费，因此，如果仲裁庭认为困难作业费用应当由申请人承担，那就应扣除其中包括的正常作业费人民币103220元。如被申请人不能提供其究竟支付了多少卸货费的证据，应认定困难作业费已包括了正常作业费。既然被申请人支付的前述困难作业费用及额外港口费用是人民币，也只能索赔人民币。
被申请人则认为，困难作业费用和额外港口费用并不是每一个航次都必然产生的费用，它们是由于本航次货物发生了货损而额外发生的非正常的费用。因此，按照租船合同的规定，应该由出租人承担上述费用，更何况出租人直接与港务公司签订了困难作业费协议，从这个意义上讲，是承租人为了尽量减小损失，为出租人垫付了费用。被申请人认为，申请人应对其关于困难作业费用中包括了正常的卸货费的主张负举证责任。
二、仲裁庭意见
本案租船合同中的有关条款：
租船确认书中规定：“DEL ASP CORPUS CHRISTI ATDNSHINC”；“LAYCAN DEC/21 (0000H)-DEC/26，(2400H) 1999”；“REDEL DLOSP 1SP CHINA ATDNSHINC”；“HIRE USD 8500 DAILY IOT”；“C/E/V：USD 1 250/PER MONTH OR PRORATA”；“ILOHC：USD 3500 LSUM ON REDEL”；“2.5PCT ADCOMM＋1.25 CLARKSON”。
租船确认书燃油条款中规定：“－BUNKER CL.：BOD AS ON BOARD BUT OWNS GTEE BUNKER QTTY SHOULD SUFFICIENT TO PERFORM CHRTS INT ENTIRE VOY VIA PANAMA CHANNEL BOR AS ABT SAME AS BOD PRICE BENDS IFO USD 150PMT/MDO USD 200PMT”。
租船确认书最后三行规定：“-cl 80：‘3’bkg days replace by ‘7’and add at the end'' all balances are tb settled and charterers should provide ows relevant invoices of ows expense w/i 45 days of the completion of the voyage”。
NYPE格式条款第21－24行规定：“Vessel on arrival first loading port to be ready to receive cargo with clean-swept washed down and dried up holds and tight, staunch, strong and in every way fitted for the service, having water ballast, winches and donkey boiler with sufficient steam power…”。
NYPE格式条款第17行规定：“Acceptance of delivery by Charterers shall not constitute any waiver of Owners'' liabilities hereunder. Vessel to be placed at the disposal of the charterers…”。
NYPE格式条款第2条规定：“That whilst on hire, the Charterers shall provide and pay for all the fuel except as otherwise agreed, Port Charges, customary Pilotages, Agencies, boatage on Charterers'' business, canal tolls, Commissions, Consular Charges (except those pertaining to the Crew and flag), and all other usual expenses except those before stated, but when the vessel puts into a port for causes for which vessel is and/or her Owners are responsible, then all such charges incurred shall be paid by the Owners”。
NYPE格式条款第8条规定：“That the Captain shall prosecute his voyages with the utmost dispatch, and shall render all customary assistance with ship''s crew including cleaning of holds and boats…and Charterers are to load, stow, secure, tally, discharge and trim the cargo at their expense under the supervision of the Captain”。
NYPE格式条款第15条规定：“That in the event of the loss of time from deficiency and/or default of men or deficiency of stores, fire, breakdown or damages to hull, machinery or equipment, grounding, detention by average accidents to ship or cargo, drydocking for the purpose of examination or painting bottom, or by any other cause preventing the full working of the vessel, unless same caused by the Charterers or their servants the payment of hire shall cease for the time thereby lost, …Bunkers consumed during off-hire for whatsoever reason shall be calculated at same prices as on delivery”。
