電子載貨證券制度之法律問題研究

A Legal Study on Electronic Bill of Lading System

傳統書面載貨證券制度於海運實務上已行之有年，然隨著海運科技之發達與運送時空之減縮，書面載貨證券已無法完全因應現代貿易之需求，必須有所改革。自西元1990 年起，伴隨電腦技術之發展，電子載貨證券制度應運而生，此一新興之電子載貨證券制度，於實務上或法律上，是否能夠完全取代書面載貨證券之地位，不無疑問。詳言之，電子載貨證券是否具有如書面載貨證券所擁有之四大功能：貨物收據功能、契約證明功能、物權證書功能與貨物提領功能？若是，法律上又應對電子載貨證券做出何種規定與概念上之調整？本文自書面載貨證券之缺失與四大功能出發，藉由國際法與外國法之觀察，研究電子載貨證券所應具備之地位，分析各功能下可能面臨之法律問題，以作為未來我國海商法之修法建議。

The traditional paper bill of lading (abbr. B/L) has worked in practice for a long time. However, as the maritime technology advanced, such paper B/L cannot keep up with the progress of the modern international trading. Since 1990, accompanied by the development of computer, the electronic B/L has shown up. The most important question is whether the electronic B/L can completely replace the functions of paper B/L. Put simply, can the electronic B/L carry out the four functions (receipt function, proof of trading contract function, proof of cargo possession function and approval of withdrawing goods function) as well as the paper B/L does? If it can, how the law and the concept should be adjusted accordingly? This article firstly discusses the disadvantages of four functions of paper B/L and reviews related international laws and foreign laws. Finally, it studies the role and functions of electronic B/L to suggest how the Maritime Act in Taiwan should be revised in the future.