¿Qué es un contrato de transporte?

Un contrato de transporte es un acuerdo de voluntades por medio del cual una de las partes se obliga para con la otra, a cambio de un precio, a conducir de un lugar a otro, por determinado medio y en un plazo fijado, personas o cosas y entregar éstas al destinatario (Art. 981 del Código de Comercio)

¿Cómo se contrata el transporte marítimo de mercancías?

El transporte de cosas por mar se contrata mediante dos modalidades: (i) el contrato de fletamento (charter party); y (ii) el contrato de transporte bajo conocimiento de embarque (bill of lading).El contrato de fletamento se utiliza cuando una sola persona necesita transportar una cantidad de bienes que ocupa la capacidad total – o una capacidad significativa – de una nave, como es el caso de los productos a granel, como carbón, hierro, petróleo, gas, cereales, sal, azúcar, fertilizantes, úrea, entre otros.El contrato de transporte marítimo bajo conocimiento de embarque se utiliza cuando se van a transportar mercancías que no ocupan la totalidad, ni una parte significativa, de la capacidad de la nave, como es el caso de la carga general, y usualmente, la carga embalada en contenedores.

¿Qué es el conocimiento de embarque o Bill of Lading?

El conocimiento de embarque o Bill of Lading (B/L) es el documento de transporte que expide el transportador después de que las mercancías se encuentran a bordo del buque.Sirve de prueba de la existencia del contrato de transporte marítimo, y al mismo tiempo, constituye un recibo de las cosas transportadas a cuya descripción deben atenerse ambas partes (cargador y transportador) para su entrega en el puerto de destino.También es un documento negociable (título valor representativo de las mercancías), que puede utilizarse para negociar o transferir los bienes durante su tránsito, a través del endoso y la entrega del B/L (si fue expedido en forma nominativa), o mediante su simple entrega (si fue expedido “a la orden”).Igualmente, puede utilizarse para otorgar una garantía para respaldar un préstamo o una operación comercial. El Bill of Lading (B/L) también tiene funciones aduaneras en el proceso de importación o de exportación de las mercancías, así como otros usos en materia bancaria y en materia cambiaria.

¿Qué es una concesión portuaria?

La concesión portuaria es un contrato administrativo en virtud del cual se permite que una sociedad portuaria ocupe y utilice en forma temporal y exclusiva las playas, los terrenos de bajamar y zonas accesorias a aquéllas o éstos, para la construcción y operación de un puerto, a cambio de una contraprestación económica a favor de la Nación, y de los municipios o distritos donde operen los puertos.

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre una concesión portuaria y una concesión marítima?

La concesión portuaria es un contrato administrativo mediante el cual se autoriza a una sociedad portuaria a ocupar y utilizar en forma temporal y exclusiva las playas, terrenos de bajamar y zonas accesorias para la construcción y operación de un puerto, a cambio de una contraprestación económica a favor de la Nación. Las concesiones portuarias son autorizadas por la Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura o Cormagdalena de acuerdo con su jurisdicción.La concesiones marítimas son la autorización que otorga la DIMAR para el uso, goce y usufructo temporal de bienes de uso público (como playas, terrenos de bajamar y aguas marítimas). Estas concesiones se otorgan únicamente para actividades específicas como turismo, recreación, pesca, acuicultura, astilleros, industria, hoteles, marinas, embarcaderos, emisarios submarinos, obras de protección, dragados no portuarios, entre otros.

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre un puerto de servicio privado y un puerto de servicio público?

Un puerto de servicio privado es aquel en donde sólo se prestan servicios a empresas vinculadas jurídica o económicamente con la sociedad portuaria propietaria de la infraestructura.Por su parte, un puerto de servicio público es aquel en donde se prestan servicios a todos quienes están dispuestos a someterse a las tarifas y condiciones de operaciones.

¿Cuál es la entidad que vigila e inspecciona a los puertos?

La Superintendencia de Transporte es la entidad encargada de vigilar e inspeccionar a los puertos. (Art. 27.1 Ley 1 de 1991; Arts. 5.3. y 5.4. Decreto 2409 de 2018)

¿Cuáles son los requisitos ambientales de la actividad portuaria?

La sociedades portuarias deben garantizar la realización de estudios preliminares sobre el impacto ambiental del puerto que se pretende construir, así como comprometerse a efectuar estudios detallados y a adoptar las medidas de preservación necesarias para asegurar el menor impacto posible de la actividad portuaria.

¿Qué es el Arbitraje de Inversión?

Es un mecanismo de solución de disputas relativas a inversiones internacionales y en el cual intervienen inversores extranjeros y Estados receptores, según acuerdos como Tratados de Libre Comercio (TLC) o Acuerdos para la Promoción y Protección Recíproca de inversiones (APPRI), entre otros.Las protecciones más comunes debatidas son:Protección contra la expropiación (directa, indirecta)Trato justo y equitativoTrato nacionalTrato de nación más favorecidaLibertad para transferir fondosProtección y seguridad total

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre arbitraje nacional e internacional?

La principal diferencia que puede identificarse es el elemento transnacional de la disputa. El arbitraje nacional suele contemplar un conflicto entre partes domiciliadas en el mismo país y respecto de una controversia que no involucra un elemento extranjero y viceversa.Por lo tanto, mientras que en un arbitraje nacional las reglas y procedimientos están regulados por la legislación Colombiana, el arbitraje internacional podrá someter la disputa a una legislación externa, ajena a la colombiana.En particular, la ley establece que el arbitraje internacional se caracteriza por cumplir uno de los tres criterios previsto en el articulo 62 de la Ley 1563 de 2012:Las partes domicilios tienen en Estados diferentesEl lugar del cumplimiento de una parte sustancial de las obligaciones está situado fuera del Estado en el cual las partes tienen sus domicilios;La controversia sometida a decisión arbitral afecte los intereses del comercio

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F.A.Q

What is a contract of carriage?

The contract of carriage is an agreement between the parties whereby one of them undertakes, in return for a price, to transport persons or goods from one place to another, by a specified means and within the agreed period, and to deliver such goods to the consignee (Article 981 of the Commercial Code)

How is the carriage of goods by sea contracted?

The carriage of goods by sea may be contracted under two modalities: (i) the charterparty; and (ii) the contract of carriage under a bill of lading.

The charterparty is used when a single party needs to transport a quantity of goods that occupies the entire – or a substantial – capacity of a vessel, as in the case of bulk commodities such as coal, iron, oil, gas, grains, salt, sugar, fertilisers, urea, among others.

The contract of carriage under a bill of lading is used when the goods to be transported do not occupy the whole, nor a significant part, of the vessel’s capacity, as in the case of general cargo and, usually, containerised cargo.

What is the bill of lading?

The bill of lading (B/L) is the transport document issued by the carrier once the goods have been loaded on board the vessel

It serves as evidence of the existence of the contract of carriage by sea and, at the same time, constitutes a receipt for the goods carried, the description of which must be observed by both parties (the shipper and the carrier) for delivery at the port of destination

It is also a negotiable document (a document of title representing the goods), which may be used to negotiate or transfer the goods during transit, either by endorsement and delivery of the B/L (if issued to order) or by simple delivery (if issued to bearer).

Likewise, it may be used to provide security for a loan or a commercial transaction. The bill of lading (B/L) also fulfils customs functions in the process of importing or exporting goods, as well as other uses in banking and foreign exchange matters.

What is a Port Concession?

A port concession is an administrative contract by virtue of which a port company is allowed to temporarily and exclusively occupy and use beaches, low-tide lands, and areas accessory thereto, for the construction and operation of a port, in exchange for an economic consideration in favor of the Nation, and of the municipalities or districts where the ports operate.

What is the difference between a port concession and a maritime concession?

A port concession is an administrative contract whereby a port company is authorized to temporarily and exclusively occupy and use beaches, low-tide lands, and accessory areas for the construction and operation of a port, in exchange for an economic consideration in favor of the Nation. Port concessions are granted by the National Infrastructure Agency (Agencia Nacional de Infraestructura – ANI) or Cormagdalena, depending on their jurisdiction.

Maritime concessions are the authorization granted by DIMAR for the temporary use, enjoyment, and usufruct of public-use assets (such as beaches, low-tide lands, and maritime waters). These concessions are granted only for specific activities such as tourism, recreation, fishing, aquaculture, shipyards, industry, hotels, marinas, piers, submarine outfalls, protective works, non-port dredging, among others.

What is the difference between a private service port and a public service port?

A private service port is one in which services are provided only to companies legally or economically related to the port company that owns the infrastructure

Conversely, a public service port is one in which services are provided to all those willing to submit to the applicable rates and operating conditions.

Which entity supervises and inspects ports?

The Superintendence of Transportation is the entity in charge of supervising and inspecting ports. (Art. 27.1 Law 1 of 1991; Arts. 5.3 and 5.4 Decree 2409 of 2018).

What are the environmental requirements of port activity?

Port companies must ensure the performance of preliminary studies on the environmental impact of the port to be constructed, as well as undertake to carry out detailed studies and adopt the necessary preservation measures to ensure the least possible impact of port activity.

What is Investment Arbitration?

It is a dispute resolution mechanism concerning international investments, in which foreign investors and host States participate, pursuant to agreements such as Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) or Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs), among others.

The most common protections debated are:

Protection against expropriation (direct, indirect)
Fair and equitable treatment
National treatment
Most-favored-nation treatment
Freedom to transfer funds
Full protection and security

What is the difference between domestic and international arbitration?

The main difference that may be identified is the transnational element of the dispute. National arbitration usually concerns a conflict between parties domiciled in the same country and relating to a dispute that does not involve a foreign element, and vice versa.

Therefore, while in national arbitration the rules and procedures are governed by Colombian law, international arbitration may submit the dispute to a external law and different from Colombian law

In particular, the law establishes that international arbitration is characterized by meeting one of the three criteria set forth in Article 62 of Law 1563 of 2012:

The parties are domiciled in different States
The place of performance of a substantial part of the obligations is located outside the State in which the parties are domiciled
The dispute submitted to arbitral decision affects the interests of international trade