Decreto n.º 18/2017
| Data de publicação | 16 Junho 2017 |
| Seção | Serie I |
| Órgão | Negócios Estrangeiros |
Decreto n.º 18/2017
de 16 de junho
A Convenção sobre a Limitação da Responsabilidade em Matéria de Créditos Marítimos de 1976 (Convenção LLMC) foi adotada em Londres, em 19 de novembro de 1976, no âmbito da Organização Marítima Internacional, e corresponde a um instrumento de caráter horizontal relativo à responsabilidade civil, tendo entrado em vigor para os países que a ratificaram ou a ela aderiram, em 1 de setembro de 1984.
A Convenção LLMC, que agora cabe aprovar, regula a responsabilidade civil dos transportadores marítimos, em especial o direito de limitarem a sua responsabilidade, com caráter de generalidade, sem prejuízo de exclusão de certo tipo de responsabilidades específicas tratadas noutros instrumentos internacionais, como é o caso dos danos devidos à poluição por hidrocarbonetos ou por substâncias nocivas e potencialmente perigosas.
Em 1996, foi adotado um protocolo que revê este instrumento de direito internacional convencional - o Protocolo de 1996 de Emenda à Convenção sobre a Limitação da Responsabilidade em Matéria de Créditos Marítimos de 1976 -, que visa proceder à atualização dos limites de responsabilidade previstos na Convenção, possibilitando, com isso, assegurar uma indemnização reforçada e uma proteção adequada dos interesses das vítimas, incorporando ainda um mecanismo simplificado para a atualização dos montantes de indemnização.
Portugal é, neste momento, um dos cinco Estados-Membros da União Europeia que ainda não se vinculou a esta Convenção e ao Protocolo, circunstância que prejudica seriamente o desempenho de Portugal enquanto Estado de bandeira, afetando o prestígio do país e dificultando a sua afirmação como Estado marítimo de relevo.
Para além disso, esta adesão encontra-se alinhada não só com o propósito do XXI Governo Constitucional de fazer do Mar um vetor essencial do desenvolvimento concretizado, entre outros instrumentos, na Estratégia Nacional para o Mar.
Assim:
Nos termos da alínea c) do n.º 1 do artigo 197.º da Constituição, o Governo decreta o seguinte:
Artigo 1.º
Aprovação
Aprova, para adesão, a Convenção sobre a Limitação da Responsabilidade em Matéria de Créditos Marítimos (Convenção), adotada em Londres, em 19 de novembro de 1976, e o Protocolo de 1996 de Emenda à Convenção sobre a Limitação da Responsabilidade em Matéria de Créditos Marítimos (Protocolo de Emenda), adotado em Londres, em 3 de maio de 1996, cujos textos, nas versões autenticadas em língua inglesa e respetivas traduções para língua portuguesa, se publicam em anexo.
Artigo 2.º
Reserva
Nos termos do disposto na alínea b) do n.º 1 do artigo 18.º da Convenção, alterada pelo Protocolo de Emenda, Portugal reserva-se o direito de excluir a aplicação de créditos por danos no âmbito da Convenção Internacional sobre a Responsabilidade e a Indemnização por Danos resultantes do Transporte de Substâncias Perigosas e Nocivas por Mar, adotada em Londres, em 1996, ou de qualquer respetiva alteração ou protocolo.
Visto e aprovado em Conselho de Ministros de 20 de abril de 2017. - António Luís Santos da Costa - Augusto Ernesto Santos Silva - José Apolinário Nunes Portada.
Assinado em 26 de maio de 2017.
Publique-se.
O Presidente da República, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Referendado em 7 de junho de 2017.
O Primeiro-Ministro, António Luís Santos da Costa.
ANEXO
CONVENTION ON LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR MARITIME CLAIMS, 1976
The States Parties to this Convention,
Having recognized the desirability of determining by agreement certain uniform rules relating to the limitation of liability for maritime claims,
Have decided to conclude a Convention for this purpose and have thereto agreed as follows:
CHAPTER I
The right of limitation
Article 1
Persons entitled to limit liability
1 - Shipowners and salvors, as hereinafter defined, may limit their liability in accordance with the rules of this convention for claims set out in article 2.
2 - The term «shipowner» shall mean the owner, charterer, manager and operator of a seagoing ship.
3 - Salvor shall mean any person rendering services in direct connexion with salvage operations. Salvage operations shall also include operations referred to in article 2, paragraph 1(d), (e) and (f).
4 - If any claims set out in article 2 are made against any person for whose act, neglect or default the shipowner or salvor is responsible, such person shall be entitled to avail himself of the limitation of liability provided for in this convention.
5 - In this convention the liability of a shipowner shall include liability in an action brought against the vessel itself.
6 - An insurer of liability for claims subject to limitation in accordance with the rules of this convention shall be entitled to the benefits of this convention to the same extent as the assured himself.
7 - The act of invoking limitation of liability shall not constitute an admission of liability.
Article 2
Claims subject to limitation
1 - Subject to articles 3 and 4 the following claims, whatever the basis of liability may be, shall be subject to limitation of liability:
a) Claims in respect of loss of life or personal injury or loss of or damage to property (including damage to harbour works, basins and waterways and aids to navigation), occurring on board or in direct connexion with the operation of the ship or with salvage operations, and consequential loss resulting therefrom;
b) Claims in respect of loss resulting from delay in the carriage by sea of cargo, passengers or their luggage;
c) Claims in respect of other loss resulting from infringement of rights other than contractual rights, occurring in direct connexion with the operation of the ship or salvage operations;
d) Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such ship;
e) Claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of the cargo of the ship;
f) Claims of a person other than the person liable in respect of measures taken in order to avert or minimize loss for which the person liable may limit his liability in accordance with this convention, and further loss caused by such measures.
2 - Claims set out in paragraph 1 shall be subject to limitation of liability even if brought by way of recourse or for indemnity under a contract or otherwise. However, claims set out under paragraph 1(d), (e) and (f) shall not be subject to limitation of liability to the extent that they relate to remuneration under a contract with the person liable.
Article 3
Claims excepted from limitation
The rules of this Convention shall not apply to:
a) Claims for salvage or contribution in general average;
b) Claims for oil pollution damage within the meaning of the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, dated 29 November 1969 or of any amendment or Protocol thereto which is in force;
c) Claims subject to any international convention or national legislation governing or prohibiting limitation of liability for nuclear damage;
d) Claims against the shipowner of a nuclear ship for nuclear damage;
e) Claims by servants of the shipowner or salvor whose duties are connected with the ship or the salvage operations, including claims of their heirs, dependants or other persons entitled to make such claims, if under the law governing the contract of service between the shipowner or salvor and such servants the shipowner or salvor is not entitled to limit his liability in respect of such claims, or if he is by such law only permitted to limit his liability to an amount greater than that provided for in article 6.
Article 4
Conduct barring limitation
A person liable shall not be entitled to limit his liability if it is proved that the loss resulted from his personal act or omission, committed with the intent to cause such loss, or recklessly and with knowledge that such loss would probably result.
Article 5
Counterclaims
Where a person entitled to limitation of liability under the rules of this convention has a claim against the claimant arising out of the same occurrence, their respective claims shall be set off against each other and the provisions of this convention shall only apply to the balance, if any.
CHAPTER II
Limits of liability
Article 6
The general limits
1 - The limits of liability for claims other than those mentioned in article 7, arising on any distinct occasion, shall be calculated as follows:
a) In respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury,
i) 333,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons,
ii) For a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that mentioned in (i):
For each ton from 501 to 3,000 tons, 500 Units of Account;
For each ton from 3,001 to 30,000 tons, 333 Units of Account;
For each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 250 Units of Account; and
For each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 167 Units of Account,
b) In respect of any other claims,
i) 167,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons,
ii) For a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof the following amount in addition to that mentioned in (i):
For each ton from 501 to 30,000 tons, 167 Units of Account;
For each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 125 Units of Account; and
For each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 83 Units of Account.
2 - Where the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 1(a) is insufficient to pay the claims mentioned therein in full, the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 1(b) shall be available for payment of the unpaid balance of claims under paragraph 1(a) and such unpaid balance shall rank rateably with claims mentioned under paragraph 1(b).
3 - However, without prejudice to the right of claims for loss of life or personal injury according to paragraph 2, a State Party may provide in its national law that claims in respect of damage to harbour works, basins and waterways and aids to navigation shall have such priority over other claims under paragraph 1(b) as is provided by that...
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