Bill of lading in maritime transport of goods and international trade plays an extremely important role. CMC provides that only refers to verify an offshore contract of carriage of goods and the taking over or loading of goods by the carrier, as well as document the carrier undertakes to deliver the goods. Bills of lading on behalfof goods, known as "the key to open the floating warehouse." Property law in theso-called "principles", so that ownership can only set up one on the shipment. In other words, on behalf of the legal title of the goods is only one original Bill of lading. In today's world, to forge a bill of lading, its difficulty is far less than to produce a "Mona. Lisa" painting fake, let alone, assisted by electronic devices, will become easier. Therefore, the probability of false bills of lading will be increased. Whichrequires judges to improve the ability to identify the authenticity of the Bills of lading and instruments. When there are two sets of original bills of lading when a goods, how to identify the authenticity of two sets of original bills of lading the key toresolve the dispute. Defendant Mediterranean shipping company as the carrier confirmation of the authenticity of the original Bill of lading has absolute authority, but because the accused is an interested person, the Court must look into other aspects identified in connection with the authenticity of the Bills of lading. Trial, we believe that the Bill of lading issuance, transfer and the price paid and other sectors to identify, is the effective way to judge the authenticity of the Bills of lading.
〖 Case 〗
Plaintiff: Ningbo top import and export Co Ltd (hereinafter "Ningbo top")
Defendant: Mediterranean shipping company (hereinafter "msc")
Defendant: Shanghai China marine shipping agency limited (hereinafter "Sinotransshipping")
On October 24, 2005, Sinotrans shipping to Ningbo top of the arrival notice require its delivery. Ningbo top Agency import customs clearance and other formalitiesare completed, and straight Bill of lading Sinotrans shipping for the Bill of lading.Since then, marine shipping in the Mediterranean shipping two requests under suspension of release in connection with the goods, resulting in Ningbo better delivery is rejected. Therefore, Ningbo top requests ordered the two defendants to the plaintiff under the Division of goods delivered, and bear the costs of the case.
The identification of the Ningbo top-division non-Mediterranean Shipping Bill of lading issued to the shipper a bill of lading of the goods involved. Ningbo better record holding bills of lading to the shipper for RPM company, consignees and notification for Ningbo top, name of goods of electrolytic copper, loading port of Durban, the port on the harbour. RPM company Mediterranean shipping in connection with the goods the shipper a bill of lading is an order Bill of lading, except the Bill of lading to the consignee with instructions, notifying parties are different, moreconsistent with the straight Bill of lading held by the plaintiff. The order Bill of lading eventually endorsed the outsider Shanghai haiminghui metallic mineral resources limited (hereinafter "Shanghai haiminghui"). Ningbo Jia said its Bill of lading system obtained from trading home TIL company, but there is no evidence to suggest that TIL firm and TIL the alleged seller of the JMP companies objective legal existence. Ningbo better access to the Bill of lading does not pay the price.
Identify, Sinotrans shipping is the agent of Mediterranean shipping port in Shanghai, due to electronics from Mediterranean Shipping manifests and Ningbo top straight Bill of lading held by its contents, Sinotrans shipping issue notice of arrival, and Ningbo, issued a bill of lading.
On November 22, 2006, upon application of the Mediterranean shipping company, Britain's High Court on the OMG issued search warrants and related messages are obtained from the company's computers. Displays the message content, OMGwill be sent a copy of the Bill of lading fraud in connection with the company of Ningbo, and originals of the Bill of lading expressly fraud in postal express way, since then, Ningbo top email OMG informed the company does not have the correctmanifest cannot import and access to goods and so on. Trials identified, this mail is a method named NewdehLee (Lee) were issued. The names submitted by the Ningbo top sales confirmation signed the names of the buyers.
〖 Referee 〗
Shanghai maritime Court through the trial, said: according to the rules of maritimelaw, the carrier shall deliver the goods according to the Bill of lading to the consignee. But it appears two of the consignee of the goods involved in the case, each holding a set of original bills of lading, so you must first identify which set of Bill of lading is issued by the carrier to the shipper, to represent the goods, documents of the legal bills of lading. To this end, the Mediterranean shipping company provides a range of evidence that confirmed the process of circulation of goods, the realissue, and in accordance with the warrant of the Court, be OMG OMG computing company and Ningbo Jia Li forged straight bills of lading in this case facts.
According to the principle of one thing, one right, representative of the legitimaterights of the goods, documents can only be one set of original bills of lading. Now Mediterranean shipping has provides has full of evidence proved involved of indicates bills of lading is representative involved goods of legal of right voucher, Ningbo top better by holding of Division bills of lading is forged of, class single also was people tampered with, on this Ningbo top better although advocates Division bills of lading Department himself of trade home TIL company mailing to himself, but its always failed to proved TIL company of legal exists, also cannot proved so-called of TIL company issued of situation description in the mentioned of sellers JMP company objective legal exists. Ningbo top cannot prove the straight Bill of lading through just circulated, legitimate ways to make cases, the third party's Shanghai haiminghui Shanghai maritime Court held in connection with the order Bill of lading is the Mediterranean shipping company as the carrier's true and legal bills of lading, as the title of the goods involved. Accordingly, the Shanghai maritime Court of Ningbo top claim not to support it.
〖 Comment 〗
This case is a contract of carriage of goods by sea dispute cases. At issue is already held by the plaintiff of the case was confirmed by the shipping company at theport of destination of the accused agents of bills of lading. Mediterranean shipping company in the proceedings of the accused have argued that the Bill of lading isa false Bill of lading, although defendant Mediterranean shipping carrier, had absolute authority to determine the authenticity of the Bills of lading, but because of its stakeholders, so that the Court can not be denied merely because the defendantwill confirm the facts of the dispute in the present case, namely, that the plaintiff was a false Bill of lading. Proceedings, the Court under "the principle" first come to represent ownership of the goods is only one original Bill of lading. On this basis, the Court in connection with the invoice, Bill of lading issuance, circulation, to judgethe price paid, and eventually reach the right conclusion.