CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY ROAD UNDER THE OHADA LAW

CONTRACT AND LIABILITY

The construction of a viable economic space depends on an effective and efficient transportation law. The OHADA Uniform Act relating to contracts of carriage of goods by road is envisioned to accommodate these requirements in spite of fact that regulatory rights, duties and liability of the carrier and the sender, parties to the contract of carriage are incomplete.

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Détails sur le livre
Auteur	Cyrille MONKAM
ISBN	978-9956-532-16-9
Nombre de pages de la version papier	250 pages
Format	150 x 220 mm
Date de publication	2020
Editeur	Presses universitaires d'Afrique
Langue	Français

The construction of a viable economic space depends on an effective and efficient transportation law. The OHADA Uniform Act relating to contracts of carriage of goods by road is envisioned to accommodate these requirements in spite of fact that regulatory rights, duties and liability of the carrier and the sender, parties to the contract of carriage are incomplete.

This key book analyzes the whole contract of carriage of goods by road and liability of parties under the provisions of the OHADA law in its legal and technical aspects. The presentation of this Uniform Act in an easier approach is an urgent need in the context of extension of the OHADA law in the African landscape. Indeed, States with legal tradition of Common law will find a particular interest because this Act contains the main legal principles governing this activity in their area.

In an informed and concise style, the developments made in this book include several explanations of academic writers and comments on latest cases of African law, Comparative law and Common law systems.

This book is an invaluable reference tool for transport practitioners with an international and national client base. Furthermore, it is a useful guide for academics and students of the carriage of goods by road within the OHADA area.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Case law.................................................................... 13
Legal writing.............................................................. 14
Professional sources.......................................................... 15
1. Contract of carriage.................................................... 15
2. Unwritten custom and usages of transport 15

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK......................................... 16
1. Community authorities.................................................... 16
2. The national administrative authorities 16
3. The professional structures................................................ 17
  1. Structures created by States: Regulatory agencies.............. 17
    1. The CEMAC Zone............................................... 17
      1. The National Council for Road Transport (NCRT)...... 17
      2. The National Committee for Road Safety (NCRS). 18
      3. National Management Offices of Land Freight..... 19
    2. The ECOWAS Region.......................................... 21
  2. Structures created by transportation actors: Unions.......... 22

CHAPTER 1

NATURE OF THE CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE 25

DEFINITION OF CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE 25
1. The criteria for the contract of carriage 25
  1. Movement............................................................. 25
  2. The mastery of movement........................................ 26
  3. The professional look of the movement 26
2. Specific features of the contract of carriage 27

The consensual nature of the contract 28
The commercial character of the contract 28
The forced character of contract................................ 29
BASIC DISTINCTIONS...................................................... 29
1. Contract of carriage and Charterparties contract................. 30
2. Contract of carriage and Carriage commission................... 31
3. Contract of carriage and Deposit contract 31
4. Contract of carriage and Removal contract 31
5. Contract of carriage and Logistics contract 32

CHAPTER 2 :

FORMATION OFTHE CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE OF

GOODS BY ROAD................................................................................................ 33

IDENTIFICATION OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE

CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE................................................ 33

The parties to the contract of carriage 34
1. The cargo interests.................................................. 34
  1. The Sender: Contracting Party 34
  2. The Receiver: Adhering party to the contract.......... 35
2. The carrier of the goods........................................... 36
The participants in the contract of carriage 36
1. Substituted carriers.................................................. 37
  1. The subcontractor............................................. 37
  2. The successive carrier......................................... 38
2. Middlemen in transportation................................... 39

Non-intermediaries Agents: The Factor 39
Intermediaries Agents........................................ 40
1. The authorized custom agent 41
2. The freight forwarder 41
Clerks.................................................................... 42
THE CONCLUSION OF THE CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE.... 43
1. Compliance with pre-contractual obligations.................... 43
  1. The pricing of transport.......................................... 43
  2. The handing over of the goods for carriage 44
  3. The determination of movement conditions................ 44
2. The signature of carriage documentation 44
  1. The consignment note............................................ 45
    1. The content of consignment note 46
    2. The evidentiary value of the consignment note....... 48
  2. The documents accompanying the goods 49

CHAPTER 3 :

EXECUTION OF THE CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE

OF GOODS BY ROAD................................................................ 51

PERFORMANCE OF THE CONTRACT

BY THE CARGO INTERESTS.............................................. 51

The rights of cargo interests........................................... 51
1. The power to give instructions to the carrier and

the right to dispose of the goods in transit................... 52

The right to take delivery......................................... 53
The obligations of cargo interests 53

The main obligation: payment of the agreed or proper freight.. ………………….53 3.1.2.2. Other obligations 54

The packaging of the goods................................ 54
The information of the carrier 55
The reception of delivery.................................... 55
PERFORMANCE OF THE CONTRACT BY THE CARRIER..... 56
1. The rights of the carrier................................................. 56
  1. The rights resulting from transportation impediments... 56
    1. The power of decision of the carrier 56
    2. The right to compensation................................. 57
  2. Earnings with security arising from non-payment

of the carriage claims................................................. 58

The right to retention......................................... 58
The privilege of the carrier.................................. 58
Duties of the carrier...................................................... 59
1. The takeover of the goods........................................ 59
2. Loading, stowage and unloading 61
3. Movement of the goods........................................... 62
4. The delivery of the goods......................................... 63

CHAPTER 4

LIABILITY OF THE PARTIES TO THE CONTRACT OF

CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY ROAD.............................................. 65

THE LIABILITY OF THE ROAD CARRIER. 65
1. The legal regime of the carrier’s liability 66

Causes of the carrier’s liability 66
1. Damage........................................................... 66
  1. The foundation of damage 67
  2. The types of damages in road transportation 71
2. The liability due to the loss and delay of the goods... 73
  1. The loss of the goods 74
  2. The delay in delivery 77
The exemption from liability of the carrier 80
1. Exemption from proof of non-existence of

fault of the carrier................................................ 82

The assessment of external causes materializing

the absence of fault....................................... 82

The external causes excluding the force majeure 88
Evidence of external causes 93
Exemption from proof of specific risks arising during transportation.......................................................................................................... 97
1. The risk agreed between the parties 98
2. The risk caused by the beneficiary 101
3. The natural risk of the goods 104
The exclusion from the exemption 105
1. The willful misconduct of the carrier and his servants.... 106
  1. Will in the performance of the act 108
  2. The determination in the pursuit of damage 112
2. Gross negligence of the carrier 115

The qualification of gross negligence............... 116
The definition of gross negligence.................. 122
The flexibility of liability.............................................. 126
1. Contractual arrangements on liability 126
  1. The declaration of the value of goods 126
  2. The declaration of a special interest in delivery...... 128
2. The judicial arrangement of the amount of compensation 130
THE LIABILITY OF CARGO INTERESTS 132
1. The causes of liability of the cargo interests 132
  1. The personal damage of cargo interests 132
    1. Non-compliance with contractual clauses............. 133
      1. The nonpayment of freight........................... 133
      2. The prolonged immobilization

of vehicle with loading................................. 133

Non-compliance with the disclosure requirement:

false declarations of the sender............................ 134

The damage caused by the goods 134
1. Intrinsic Defect.............................................. 135
2. Defective Packaging........................................ 135
3. Personal Harms.............................................. 135
The question of exemption from liability of cargo interests... 136
1. The problem: the legislature’s silence 136
2. The solution: the use of domestic law 137

CHAPTER 5

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES RELATED

TO CONTRACT OF CARRIAGE OF GOODS BY ROAD............ 139

COMMENCEMENT OF ACTIONS 139
1. The parties to the proceedings...................................... 139
  1. Claimants............................................................ 140
  2. Defendants.......................................................... 141
2. The rules of jurisdiction............................................... 142
  1. The rules of jurisdiction in arbitration 143
  2. The rules of jurisdiction in judicial matters................. 144
    1. The rules of jurisdiction in internal transport........ 144
    2. The rules of jurisdiction in international transport 145
3. The mode to sue before the courts 146
  1. In judicial disputes................................................ 146
    1. The prerequisite: protest and graceful claim........... 146
      1. The deadline for protest 147
      2. The time limit of pre-litigation complaint 148
    2. The method to sue, request or summons?............. 150
  2. In arbitral disputes................................................ 151
4. The prescription of legal action.................................... 152
  1. The normal flow of the limitation period................ 153
  2. The abnormal flow of limitation period 154
THE UNFOLDING OF PROCEEDINGS 156
1. The smooth running of judicial disputes 157

The office of the Judge........................................... 157
The normal outcome of judicial disputes 157
The abnormal outcome of judicial disputes................ 158
The smooth running of arbitral disputes 158
1. The arbitral tribunal.............................................. 158
2. The arbitral award................................................. 159
The compensation payable under OHADA law............... 161
1. Limitation by reference to the goods 162
2. Limitation by reference to the transport charges.......... 163
LIMITS OF ATTRACTION OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION MODES IN THE OHADA AREA 164
1. The slowness of judicial proceedings 164
2. The cost of arbitration................................................. 165
3. The difficulties in enforcing judgments or arbitral awards.. 166