Chapter XIII
COLLISIONS
Article 206.- Collisions
Collisions means a collision which has occurred between seagoing vessels, between a seagoing vessel and an inland water craft or a hydroplane, or between other floating structures on the sea or in the seaport waters.
Article 207.- Obligations of masters when collisions occur
1. After a collision occurs, the master of each of the vessels in collision shall be obliged to render assistance to the other vessel, persons and property on board so far as he/she can do so without serious danger to his/her vessel as well as the persons and property on board his/her vessel.
2. Immediately after a collision occurs, the master of each of the vessels shall be obliged to inform the master of the other vessel the name of his/her own vessel, its call-sign, the port of registration and the names of the ports from which his/her vessel has come and to which it is bound.
3. The shipowner shall not be responsible for his/her master’s failure to perform the obligations specified in Clauses 1 and 2 of this Article.
Article 208.- Principles for identification of faults and compensation for losses resulting from collisions.
1. A vessel at fault in a collision is a vessel causing a collision as a result of its operation or omission in equipping, navigation and management of the vessel, in observing regulations on the prevention of collisions at sea and regulations on assurance of marine navigation safety or as a result of non-compliance with necessary professional customs.
2. The vessel at fault in a collision shall be liable for damage caused to another vessel or to persons and property involved in such collision. Where both or many vessels are at fault in a collision, each of them shall be liable in proportion to the degree of its fault; where the degree of the fault is equal or its is impossible to establish the specific degree of the fault of each vessel, the liability for compensation shall be equally divided to the involved vessels.
3. Where the fault is not clearly determined, no vessel shall be held liable for the collision.
4. In case of compensation for loss of life, personal injuries or other health damage, the vessels at fault in the collision shall bear joint liability. A vessel which has paid compensation in excess of its liability shall be entitled to recover from the other vessels the sum paid in excess.
5. A military vessel shall be relieve of the compensation liability only if it, due to its fault, has caused a collision when performing its duties in the military exercise areas or no-maritime shipping areas already declared, but its master must, if practical conditions permits, perform his/her obligations specified in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 207 of this Code.
6. Pursuant to the provisions of Clauses 1,2, 3, 4 and 5 of this Article, the parties involved in a collision may reach agreement on their own to determine the degrees of their faults and liabilities for compensation for losses resulting from the collision; if they cannot reach such agreement, they may initiate a lawsuit at an arbitration or a competent court.
Article 209.- Collisions due to force majeure, accidental events or unidentified fault
Where a collision has occurred by force majeure by an accidental event or where it is impossible to determine which vessel is at fault, the damage shall be borne by the vessel that has suffered it, even when the vessel is at anchor, moored to or alongside another vessel at the time of the collision.
Article 210.- Indirect collisions
The provisions of this Chapter shall be also applied when vessel has caused damage to another vessel or persons or property on board such vessel even though no direct collision has occurred.
Article 211.- Statute of limitations for initiation of lawsuits regarding collisions
1. The statute of limitations for initiation of lawsuits regarding collisions is two years as from the date of occurrence of collisions.
2. The statute of limitations for initiation of lawsuits regarding claims for reimbursement of excessive amounts stipulated in Clause 4, Article 208 of this Code is one year as from the date of payment of compensation money.
Article 212.- Collisions of military vessels, public-duty vessels, fishing vessels, inland waterway crafts and hydroplanes
The provisions of this Section shall apply to military vessels, public-duty vessels, fishing vessels, inland waterway crafts and hydroplanes.
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