- 苏萦
-
Brief Introduction
在执行合同的过程中,签约双方都应该严格履行合同义务。任何一方如果不能严格履行,就会给另一方带来麻烦。在这种情况下,受损失的一方有权根据合同规定要求责任方赔偿损失或采取其他补救措施。受损失的一方采取的这种行动称之为“索赔”,而责任方就受损失一方提出的要求进行处理,叫做“理赔”。
在业务中常见的是买方向卖方提出索赔,如卖方拒不交货、逾期装运、数量短缺、货物的品质规格与合同不符、错发错运、包装不妥、随船单证不全或漏填错发等致使买方遭受损失时,买方可向卖方提出索赔。但是在某些情况下,卖方也向买方提出索赔要求,如买方拒开或迟开信用证、不按时派船、无理毁约等致使卖方遭受损失时,卖方也会向买方提出索赔。
-- 是关于300箱干蘑菇的质量问题。两周前到的货,我们当即进行了 检查。令我们惊奇的是,大约20%的干蘑菇已发霉,甚至在许多箱 内有褐色小甲虫爬出爬进,有一半蘑菇已被吃掉。这样的货物我们 是不能接受的。它们不宜被人们食用。医药卫生官员对这些货物发 出了“停售通知”。
-- 有这么一回事?我们还从未收到过这样的抱怨呢。多年来,我们 的蘑菇因质量好而享有盛誉。这真叫我们难于理解,给你们的那批 货怎么发霉了,甚至被虫咬了。你有什么证据吗?
-- 当然有。这是伦敦一家有名的实验室的检验报告,他们的证词绝对 可靠。
B: Though everything may be as you say
there are many factors involved. What"s more
your surveyors have not mentioned any cause for the damage.
W: The mushrooms were packed in *** all one pound plastic bags
sixty of these bags to a carton. It is stated on the surveyor?s report that external conditions of goods at the time of survey are all sound and intact. So it is obvious the cause of the damage is that the mushrooms were not pletely dried before packing.
B: As you know
before shipment
the Commodity Inspection
Bureau inspected the goods in question. They concluded that the goods were well dehydrated from fresh and choice material and up to standard for export.
W: I think the Inspection Bureau at your end
when effecting inspection
only selected a few package at random -- these hap- pened to be up to the standard. The part that was not dried properly
most probably
escaped their attention. As the amount in question is only 20% of the whole shipment
I think it is only reasonable that you should pensate us for the loss.
-- 虽然事情可能象你所说的那样,但它牵涉到很多因素。况且,你方 检验员并没有提及造成损坏的任何原因。
-- 蘑菇每磅装一小塑料袋,每60袋装进一只木箱。检验员的报告中
说,检验时货物的外包装都是完好无缺的。所以很明显,造成损坏 的原因是蘑菇在包装前没有彻底干透。
-- 如你所知,这批货在装船前由商品检验局检验过。他们的结论 是,此货已很好地除去了水分,品质上等,达到出口的标准。
-- 我想你方商检局进行检验时,只随意地挑了几包,而这几包又 恰巧达到了标准。而没达到干燥程度的那部份可能就没被他们注 意到。由于波及到的数量只是整批货的20%,我想你方应该赔偿
我们的损失才算合理。
B: The inspection certificate
which is based on a random selection of 20% of the consignment as we"ve agreed on beforehand
is considered final and binding upon both parties. We do not accept any claims for pensation for loss incurred in transit
because you bought the goods F.O.B. Houston and on shipping quality
not on landed quality. Your claim
in our opinion
should be re- ferred to the insurance pany
as the mishap occurred after shipment.
W: We"ve already got in touch with the underwriter. But they have refused to accept any liability. They attributed the accident to the effects of dampness during the long sea voyage.
B: That"s a matter over which we could exercise no control
then. I"m afraid I have to insist that you approach the insurance pany for settlement
that is
if you have covered this risk in your coverage.
W: To my regret
we failed to cover contamination. This is an unfortu- nate oversight on our part and a lesson to us.
B: Otherwise the insurance pany would no doubt have enter- tained your case.
W: Well
live and learn. It seems we"ll have to waive the claim.
-- 我们事前已有协议,任意抽取整批货的20%进行检验,其检验证明 最终对双方都具有约束力。因为你买的这批货是休斯顿港船上交货 价,以装船质量而不是以到岸质量为准,任何运输途中产生的损失 要求赔偿,我们都不予接受。我们认为,你们应该要求保险公司索 赔,因为损失发生在装船后。
-- 我们已联系过保险商,但他们拒绝承担任何责任。他们将此事故归 咎于长途海运中受潮的结果。
-- 那种事我们可控制不了。我们恐怕还得坚持这一点,就是你们联系 保险公司要求解决,如果你们投保了这个险的话。
-- 遗憾的是,我们没有投保“污染险”。不幸这是我方的疏忽,也是 一个教训。
-- 不然的话,保险公司毫无疑问将会接受索赔的。
-- 是的,活到老,学到老。看来,我们只好放弃索赔了。
Words and Expressions
in the amount of 金额为
mishap [5mis7hAp] 不幸事故;灾难
consequence [ 5kCnsikwEns] 结果,后果
improper [im5prCpE] 不合适的
crawl [ krC:l ] 爬,蠕动
unmerchantable[ Qn5mE:tFEntEbl ] 不适于出售的
precaution [pri5kC:FEn] 预防,警惕,谨慎
impartial [im5pB:FEl] 公正的
mouldy [5mEuldi] 发霉的,陈腐的
wormeaten [5wE:m7i:tn] 虫蛀的
testimony [5testimEni ] 证言,证词
attribute [E5tribju(:)t] 归因于
oversight [5EuvEsait] 疏忽,出错
waive [weiv] 放弃,撤回
singular [5siN^julE ] 独一无二的,独个的
reveal [ ri5vi:l ] 揭示
dehydrate [di:5haidreit] 脱水,干燥
unsurpassed [5QnsE5pB:st] 无比的, 卓越的
mushroom [5mQFrum] 蘑菇
bug [bQ^] 虫子
human consumption 可供食用
choice material 上等品,选品
pensation [kCmpen5seiFEn] 赔偿金
incur [in5kE:] 遭受,带来
liability [7laiE5biliti] 责任,义务
voyage [5vCIIdV] 航程,航行
contamination [kEn7tAmi5neiFEn] 污染,弄脏
Notes
1. the goods in question 刚才谈到的商品
2. final and binding upon both parties
(是)最后的依据,对双方都具有约束力
3. Your claim should be referred to the insurance pany.
你们应该向保险公司提出索赔。
4. underwriters
保险商(在英国早期开办保险业务时,由好多承保商号联合承保, 他们一起在保险单下面签字,因而得此名称。)
5. sound and intact 完整无缺的
6. select at random 任意挑选
7. arrive in ……condition 到达时的情况
8. prior to 在前,居前 (to 是介词)
It is important that you time the shipment to arrive here prior to the expiration of the import license.
你们须安排此货在进口许可证期满之前到达,这是非常重要的。
A Specimen Letter
Dear Sirs:
As a result of faxes exchanged beeen us
we are pleased to inform you that we have reached an arrangement regarding your claim on shipment per the S.S. Peace for late delivery.
We have advised you this morning by fax of our appreciation that this matter has now been settled. Enclosed please find our check in the amount of U.S.$56
000 in final and plete settlement of this claim.
It is our hope to express again our satisfaction that this mishap has been amicably settled and look forward to promoting our business relationship with your corporation.
作为我们双方传真往来磋商的结果,我们很高兴地通知贵方,关于由“和平”轮运载的货物迟交一事所引起的索赔,我们已经达成了一项协议。
今天上午,我方已发传真感谢贵方索赔问题已获解决。兹附上五万六千美元支票一张,作为最终全部了结此项索赔,请查收。
对这一不幸事件得以友好解决,我们很称心如意,盼望能促进与贵公司的业务关系。
Substitution Drills
1 A: Five cases
were found broken and the units inside seriously damaged.
arrived in a badly damaged condition.
out of the whole lot were found soiled.
释文
B: Really! That"s something unexpected.
发现五箱破损,里面的装置严重损坏。
五箱货到达时状况破损严重。
整批货物中有五箱污损。
真的!那真是没有料到哦。
2 A: The goods were in perfect condition when they left here.
B: According to our survey report
the damage was caused by poor packaging.
the goods were carelessly packed.
货物从这里运出时,状况良好。
据我们的调查报告显示,损坏是由于包装不当引起的。
商品包装得很粗糙。
3 A: According to our survey report
poor packaging caused the damage.
the quality deterioration ocurred in transit.
the breakage took place during transit.
B: That could have happened in transit due to rough handling.
high humidity and temperature.
improper stowage.
据我们的调查报告显示, 是包装不当导致了破损。
在运输途中发生了变质问题。
在运输过程中发生了破损。
由于 搬运粗糙 很可能在运输途中发生了这样的问题。
潮溼和高温
装载方式不当
4 A: Please look into the matter and have the case settled immediately.
Please see your way to make a prompt settlement of the case.
Please do your best to bring the case to a satisfactory close.
B: We"ll check it up with the parties concerned right away.
get in touch with the shipping pany and see what can be done.
take the matter up with the underwriters and give you the result as soon as possible.
请调查此事,并立即解决。
请寻求方法迅速解决此事。
请尽最大努力圆满解决此事。
我们将立刻对涉及双方进行覈查。
我们将联系船舶公司看如何处理此事。
我门将会和保险商一起考虑此事,并尽快给你答复。
5 A: Our exports have to pass a rigid inspection before they are shipped. Our Inspection Bureau won"t let go anything defective.
B: As much as I respect your Inspection Bureau
it"s obvious that the fruits are no longer suitable for consumption.
one has to admit that the goods are quite useless now.
it"s clear the goods are unfit for our purpose.
我们的出口商品必须在装运前经过一道严格的检查。我们的检查局 不会放过任何瑕疵品。
虽然我对你们检查局很敬重
但是很明显水果已经不能吃了。
虽然我对你们检查局很敬重
但是必须承认这些商品现在已经没有 用了。
虽然我对你们检查局很敬重
但是很明显这些商品不是我们想要的。
6 A: Our surveyors stated that it was the inferior material used that caused the quality deterioration.
improper packing that caused the damage. carelessness on the part of the manufacturers that caused the shortage.
B: In a case like this
one cannot rule out other possibilities.
我们的检查员申明 是所用的劣质材料导致了变质。
是包装不当导致了破损。
是生产商方的粗心导致了短缺。
象这种情况,不能排除其他可能性。
7 A:We have no alternative but to lodge a claim with you. to file against you a claim for $5
000.
to make a claim with you for a pensation of $3
000. B:We"ll certainly consider a claim
if there"s sufficient evidence. We"ll entertain a claim if it is supported by adequate documents. We would accept a claim if we were at fault.
我们没有办法只有向你们提出索赔。
我们不得不向你们提出诉讼索赔五千美元。
我们不得不向你们索赔三千美元。
如果有充足的证据的话,我们将一定考虑索赔。
如果有足够的文件证明的话,我们将接受索赔。
如果是我们出错了的话,我们就会接受索赔。
8 A: What are you going to do about this?
B: We"ll send you correct products to replace the wrong ones.
new products to replace the damaged ones.
quality products to replace the imperfect ones.
你们准备怎么处理这件事?
我们将把正确的产品运过来替代那些错误的。
我们将把新产品运过来取代那些破损的。
我们会把质量好的产品运过来替代那些劣质品。