英美法中安全港責任規則在流行病背景下的適用——兼論對中國法的啟示

Application of Safe Port Responsibility Rules under the Context of Epidemics in Common Law—and Implications for Chinese Law

本文通過對流行病的相關特點及其對安全港條款履行的影響進行梳理，釐清了流行病對傳統安全港責任規則適用提出的挑戰。繼而以英美法的理論和實踐為基礎，結合流行病的特點，針對流行病背景下安全港責任認定的困境，對流行病背景下認定承租人違反安全港義務提出方案；並且，就流行病背景下承租人違反安全港義務時出租人尋求救濟面臨的挑戰以及承租人主張抗辯面臨的挑戰進行針對性的分析和解決，以引導出租人和承租人減少糾紛，同時為實踐中解決流行病背景下發生的相關糾紛提供方案。在此基礎上對我國立法和司法實踐提出建議，包括借鑒英美法強化釋法說理，完善對安全港責任認定和法律後果的規定。

This study clarifies the challenges posed by epidemics to the application of traditional safe port responsibilities rules by analyzing the characteristics of epidemics and their impact on the performance of safe port clauses. Then, based on the theories and practices of the Common Law, combined with the characteristics of epidemics, it proposes solutions for determining the charterers' violation of the safe port obligation in the context of epidemics in view of the dilemma of identifying the safe port responsibilities in the context of epidemics; moreover, it provides a targeted analysis and solutions for the challenges faced by owners seeking remedies when charterers breach their safe port obligations in the context of epidemics, as well as the challenges faced by charterers asserting defenses, aiming to guide owners and charterers in reducing disputes and providing practical solutions for resolving related disputes arising from epidemics. Based on this, suggestions are put forward for China's legislation and judicial practices, including drawing insights from the Common Law to enhance legal reasoning, as well as improving the regulations on determining safe port responsibility and legal consequences.