TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
These terms and conditions of service constitute a legally binding contract
between EZ EXPORT INC. and you “the Customer.” In the event
EZ EXPORT . renders services and issues a document containing
Terms and Conditions governing such services, the Terms and Conditions set forth in
such other document(s) shall govern those services.
1. Definition
(a) “Company” shall mean EZ EXPORT INC,. Here, its subsidiaries, related companies, agents and/or representatives;
(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 (s) 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, fowarders, OTIs, customs brokers, agents, warehousemen
and others to which the goods are entrusted for transportation, cartage, handling and /or
delivery and/or 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. Limitation of Actions
(a) Unless subject to a specific statute or international convention, all claims
against the Company for a potential or actual loss, must be made in writing and received
by the Company, within thirty (30) days of the event giving rise to claim; the failure to
give the Company timely notice shall be a complete defense to any suit or action
commenced by Customer.
(b) All suits against Company must be filed and properly served on Company
as follows:
(i) For claims arising out of ocean transportation, within one (1) year from
the date of the loss;
(ii) For claims arising out of air transportation within one (1) year from
the date of loss;
(iii) For claims arising out of the preparation and/or submission of an
import entry (s), within sixty (60) days from the date of liquidation
of the entry(s).
(iv) For any and all other claims of any other type, within one (1) year
from the date of the loss or damage.
4. No Liability For the Selection or Services of Third Parties and/or Routes.
Unless services are performed by persons or firms engaged pursuant to express
written instructions from the Customer, Company shall use reasonable care in its
selection of third parties, or in selecting the means, route and procedure to be followed in
the handling, transportation, clearance and delivery of the shipment; advice by the
Company that a particular person or firm has been selected to render services with respect
to the goods, shall not be construed to mean that the Company warrants or represents that
such person or firm will render such services nor does Company assume responsibility or
liability for any action(s) and/or inaction(s) of such third parties and/or its agents, and
shall not be liable for any delay of loss of any kind, which occurs while shipment is in
custody or control of a third party or the agent of a third party; all claims in connection
with the Act of a third party shall be brought solely against such party and/or its agents;
in connection with any such claim, the Company shall reasonably cooperate with the
Customer, which shall be liable for any charges or costs incurred by the Company.
5. Quotations Not Binding. Quotations as to fees, rates of duty, freight charges,
insurance premiums or other charges given by the Company to the Customer are for
informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice; no quotation shall
be binding upon the Company unless the Company in writing agrees to undertake the
handling or transportation of the shipment at a specific rate or amount set forth in the
quotation and payment arrangements are agreed to between the Company and the
Customer.
6. Reliance On Information Furnished.
(a) Customer acknowledges that it is required to review all documents and
declarations prepared and/or filed with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, 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
Customers 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 insure
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.
7. 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 my 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.
8. 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.
9. Disclaimer; Limitation of Liability.
(a) Except as specifically set forth herein, Company makes no express or implied
warranties in connection with its services;
(b) Subject to (c) below, Customer agrees that in connection with any and all
services performed by the Company, The Company shall only be liable for its negligent
acts, which are the direct and proximate cause of any injury to Customer, including loss
or damage to Customer’s goods, and the Company shall in no event be liable for the acts
of third parties;
(c) In connection with all services performed by the Company, Customer may
obtain additional liability coverage, up to the actual or declared value of the shipment or
transaction, by requesting such coverage and agreeing to make payment therefore, which
request must be confirmed in writing by the Company prior to rendering services for the
covered transaction(s).
(d) In the absence of additional coverage under (b) above, the Company’s liability
shall be limited to the following:
(i) where the claim arises from activities other than those relating to
customs brokerage, $50.00 per shipment or transaction, or
(ii) where the claim arises from activities relating to “Customs business,”
$50.00 per entry or the amount for brokerage fees paid to Company for the
entry, whichever is less;
(e) In no event shall Company be liable or responsible for consequential, indirect,
incidental, statutory or punitive damages even if it has been put on notice of the
possibility of such damages.
10. 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.
11. Indemnification/Hold Harmless. The Customer agrees to indemnify,
defend, and hold the Company harmless from any claims and/or liability, fines, penalties
and/or attorneys’ fees arising from the importation or exportation of customers
merchandise and/or any conduct of the Customer, including but not limited to the
inaccuracy of entry, export or security data supplied by Customer or its agent or
representative, 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, penalties, fines and /or expenses, including but not limited to reasonable
attorney’s 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.
12. C.O.D or Cash Collect Shipments. Company shall use reasonable care
regarding written instructions relating to “Cash/Collect on Delivery (C.O.D)” shipments,
bank drafts, cashier’s 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.
13. 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 collection agency fees and interest at 18% per annum or the highest rate allowed by
law whichever is greater, unless a lower amount is agreed to by Company.
14. 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.
15. No Duty to Maintain Records For Customer. Customer acknowledges that
pursuant to Sections 508 and 509 Tariff Act, as amended, (19 USC 1508 and 1509) it has
the duty and 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.
16. 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.
17. 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 required 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. Severability. In the event any Paragraph(s) and/or portion(s) hereof is found
to be invalid and/or unenforceable, then in such event the remainder hereof shall remain
in full force and effect. Company’s decision to waive any provision herein, either by
conduct or otherwise, shall not be deemed to be a further or continuing waiver of such
provision or to otherwise waive or invalidate any other provision herein.
21. 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 Virginia without giving consideration to principals of conflict of
law.
Customer and Company
(a) irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court and
the State courts of Virginia;
(b) agree that any action relating to the services performed by Company, shall
only be brought in said courts;
(c) consent to the exercise of in personam jurisdiction by said courts over it, and
(d) further agree that any action to enforce a judgment may be instituted in any
jurisdiction.
These Terms and Conditions are an adaptation from the National Customs Brokers and
Forwarders Association of America terms and conditions (Revised 07/08) |