Terms and Conditions

(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(ies) 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 storage or otherwise".

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. Our responsibility - It is our responsibility to deliver your goods to you, or produce them for your collection, undamaged. By “undamaged” we mean in the same condition as they were in at the time when they were packed or otherwise made ready for transportation and/ or storage. In the event that we have undertaken to pack the goods, or otherwise make them ready for transportation and/or storage, it is our responsibility to deliver them to you, or produce them for your collection, undamaged. Again, by “un damaged” we mean in the same condition as they were in immediately prior to being packed/ made ready for transportation or storage.

4. Determination of amount of our liability for loss or damage
4.1 Standard Liability.
4.1.1 If you provide us with a declaration of the value of your goods on the valuation form we provide, and make payment of the additional charge for us to accept Standard Liability.
4.1.2 In the event of loss of or damage to your goods in breach of clause 4, our liability to you is to be assessed as a sum equivalent to the cost of their repair or replacement whichever is the smaller sum, taking into account the age, condition and value you declared of the goods immediately prior to their loss or damage.
4.1.3 Where the lost or damaged item is part of a pair or set, our liability to you, where it is assessed as the cost of replacement of that item, is to be assessed as a sum equivalent to the cost of that item in isolation, not the cost of that item as part of a pair or set.

4.2 Limited Liability.
4.2.1 If you do not provide us with a declaration of value, or if you do not require us to accept Standard Liability pursuant to clause 4.1, then our liability to you is to be determined in accordance with Clauses 4.1.3, 9.2.2 and 11.
4.2.2 In the event of loss of or damage to your goods caused by negligence or breach of contract on our part, our liability to you is to be assessed as a sum equivalent to the cost of their repair or replacement, taking into account their age and condition immediately prior to their loss or damage, subject to a maximum liability of INR 500 per item. Your attention is drawn to clause 11.1 which applies to Limited Liability.

4.3 For goods destined to or received from a place outside the India
4.3.1 We will only accept Standard Liability if you provide us with a detailed valuation of your goods on the valuation form which we provide. All other provisions of Clause 4.1 will apply.
4.3.2 We do not accept liability for loss of or damage to goods confiscated, seized, or removed by Customs Authorities or other Government Agencies unless we have been negligent or in breach of contract.
4.3.3 We do not accept liability for loss of or damage to goods occurring in certain overseas countries, including Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Libya,Lebanon, Angola, Cambodia, Vietnam, N. Korea and Former States of the USSR, unless we have been negligent or in breach of contract. This list is not exhaustive, and we will advise you at the time of quotation if this exclusion applies.
We will accept liability for loss or damage:
(a) arising from our negligence or breach of contract whilst the goods are in our physical possession, or
(b) whilst the goods are in the possession of others if the loss or damage is established to have been caused by our failure to pack the goods to a reasonable standard where we have been contracted to pack the goods that are subject to the claim. In either circumstance clause 9.1 or 9.2 above will apply.

4.4 An Item is defined as :-
4.4.1 The entire contents of a box, parcel, package, carton, or similar container; and
4.4.2 Any other object or thing that is moved, handled or stored by us.

5. 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 Customer's 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 ensure 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.

6. 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 therefore; 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..

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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 Customer’s merchandise and/or any conduct of the Customer, which violates any Federal, State and/or other laws, and further agrees to indemnify and hold the Company harmless against any and all liability, loss, damages, costs, claims and/or expenses, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ 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.

10. C.O.D. or Cash Collect Shipments  Company shall use reasonable care regarding written instructions relating to "Cash/Collect" or "Deliver (C.O.D.)" shipments, bank drafts, cashiers 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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 "recordkeeper" or "recordkeeping agent" for Customer.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. Severability -. In the event any Paragraph(s) and/or portion(s) hereof are found to be invalid and/or unenforceable, then in such event the remainder hereof shall remain in full force and effect.

19. 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 Tamilnadu without giving consideration to principles of conflict of law. All disputes arising hereunder shall be resolved at Chennai, Tamilnadu, India and at no other place. Customers does not have right to arise dispute out of this area.