Dimond Rigging Co. v. BDP Int'l, Inc.
Dimond Rigging Co. v. BDP Int'l, Inc.
Opinion
Appellant Dimond Rigging Company, LLC ("Dimond"), appeals from a district-court judgment dismissing its suit against Appellees BDP International, Inc. ("BDP") and Logitrans International, LLC ("Logitrans") because Dimond's suit was not timely filed within the one-year statute of limitations set forth in the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act ("COGSA"). We affirm the district court's judgment.
I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Dimond was hired by a Chinese auto manufacturer to "rig, dismantle, wash, and pack," and ultimately ship several tons of used automotive assembly-line equipment to China (the "Equipment"). Dimond lacked experience in international shipment.
Dimond Rigging Co., LLC v. BDP Int'l, Inc.
,
In May 2011, BDP informed Dimond that it had obtained a ship and sent a booking note to Dimond that included proposed terms and conditions of the shipment. At that time, the Equipment had not been completely dismantled and weighed.
In October 2011, BDP notified Dimond that the first ship it had booked was no longer available. Dimond asserted that BDP had "without Dimond's knowledge, consent or approval" hired Logitrans to "perform some, or all of BDP's freight forwarding duties including locating/booking or providing a ship; acting in the capacity as the NVOCC carrier for the shipment ... and negotiating loading services ...." Dimond alleged that BDP misrepresented *439 that Logitrans was a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier 1 ("NVOCC").
BDP and Logitrans hired the
Gisele Scan
, operated by Scan-Trans, Inc. ("Scan-Trans"), to transport the Equipment from the Port of Cleveland to Xingang, China. BDP prepared a new Booking Note and Bill of Lading for the transportation of the Equipment aboard the
Gisele Scan
.
2
Dimond Rigging Co.
,
The Booking Note incorporated the Bill of Lading. The following terms in the Bill of Lading are of particular relevance.
(a) In case the Contract evidenced by this Bill of Lading is subject to the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act of the United States of America, 1936 ("U.S. COGSA"), then the provisions stated in said Act shall govern before loading and after discharge and throughout the entire time the cargo is in the Carrier's custody and in which event freight shall be payable on the cargo coming into the Carrier's custody.
The Bill of Lading also contained a "Himalaya Clause." 5
(a) It is hereby expressly agreed that no servant or agent of the Carrier (which for the purpose of this Clause includes every independent contractor from time to time employed by the Carrier) shall in any circumstances whatsoever be under any liability whatsoever to the Merchant under this contract of carriage for any loss, damage or delay of whatsoever kind arising or resulting directly or indirectly from any act, neglect or default on his part while acting in the course of or in connection with his employment.
(b) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions in this Clause, every exemption from liability, limitation, condition and liberty herein contained and every right, defence and *440 immunity of whatsoever nature applicable to the Carrier or to which the Carrier is entitled, shall also be available and shall extend to protect every such servant and agent of the Carrier as aforesaid.
Both Logitrans and Dimond signed the Booking Note.
Dimond alleged that it was not informed about a pre-load inspection meeting and that Logitrans and BDP did not attend the meeting either. This, Dimond asserted, led to delays and increased costs, because the
Gisele Scan
was not able to take on all the Equipment, and the stevedores would not load all the Equipment because it was not included in their quote.
Dimond Rigging
,
As a result of these shipping difficulties, Dimond became involved in multiple lawsuits, including suits with its Chinese customer and the stevedores.
II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY
BDP filed a Motion to Dismiss, asserting that Dimond had failed to state a claim upon which relief could be granted because the statute of limitations on Dimond's claims had run. Logitrans was served on November 27, 2017. Logitrans's president sent Dimond's counsel a letter on December 19, 2017, denying liability and responding to Dimond's complaint. Logitrans did not file a copy of the letter with the court. Dimond filed a Request for an Entry of Default pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a) on December 29, 2017. Logitrans retained counsel and filed a Memorandum opposing Dimond's Request on January 3, 2018. The district court denied Dimond's Request for Entry of Default and ordered Logitrans to file an amended answer. Logitrans then filed a Motion to Dismiss, asserting the same defense that BDP used-that the statute of limitations had run.
The district court granted the Motions to Dismiss. It explained that, because bills of lading are "maritime contracts, governed by federal maritime law[,]" COGSA governed Dimond's claims.
Dimond Rigging
,
Dimond appealed the district court's order granting the Motions to Dismiss. It also asserts that the district court should have entered a default against Logitrans.
III. ANALYSIS
A. Standard of Review
We review a district court's dismissal of claims pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) de novo.
Marks v. Newcourt Credit Grp., Inc.
,
B. COGSA
The primary issues in this case are whether COGSA controls, and whether BDP and Logitrans are "carriers" within the meaning of COGSA. If so, then Dimond should have filed its claim within one year after delivery, or the date when the goods should have been delivered.
6
See
1. Does COGSA Control the Bill of Lading?
Dimond argues that this is not a maritime dispute, but instead is about "breaches of contractual agreements, breaches of fiduciary duties, and outright fraud," which do not create maritime jurisdiction. In determining whether this is a maritime dispute, the "answer 'depends upon ... the nature and character of the contract' and the true criterion is whether it has 'reference to maritime service or maritime transactions.' "
Norfolk S. Ry. Co. v. Kirby
,
Dimond points out that the Bill of Lading and Rider contain multiple choice-of-law options, including Hague-Visby, 7 COGSA, and English law. Dimond does not, however, argue that we should apply Hague-Visby or English law, or submit the matter to arbitration in London. Instead, Dimond suggests that these options render the Bill of Lading ambiguous and unenforceable. 8 Dimond maintains that the true reason COGSA does not apply is because BDP and Logitrans were not in compliance with federal statutes and regulations concerning shipping, and therefore the court should apply Ohio law to assess whether Dimond's claims were timely filed. BDP and Logitrans argue that the Bill of Lading, coupled with Dimond's allegations, demonstrate that COGSA does apply, and urge us to affirm the district court's ruling. Even assuming that COGSA does not apply, BDP and Logitrans maintain that Dimond's claims are not timely under the applicable state statutes of limitations.
COGSA applies "to all contracts for carriage of goods by sea to or from ports of the United States in foreign trade."
United States courts must apply COGSA if the statute so requires.
See
Acciai Speciali Terni USA v. M/V BERANE
,
2. Are BDP and Logitrans Carriers?
The question remains whether BDP and Logitrans are "carriers" within the meaning of COGSA, and so may fairly invoke its one-year statute of limitations. The Bill of Lading lists Logitrans as the carrier. Dimond acknowledges this, then reiterates that COGSA cannot apply because it was a non-party to the contract (that it signed) and BDP and Logitrans "are not agents of the vessel or the carrier." Dimond asserts that this is not a suit "between Dimond and the actual carrier," the Gisele Scan , but "between Dimond and two companies that represented themselves as licensed carriers." Dimond insists that because Logitrans and BDP are not in compliance with various maritime licensing statutes and regulations, they cannot be carriers. 11
BDP argues that because Dimond characterized it as a carrier, freight forwarder, or NVOCC in the Complaint, assuming all allegations are true, it is covered by the COGSA statute of limitations. BDP asserts that COGSA applies "even where a party's role is uncertain, based on how the parties to a contract of carriage represent themselves or are viewed by the other parties to the contract." The cases BDP cites for this proposition are not authoritative: one is unpublished, and all are from district courts that are not within this circuit. Logitrans maintains that because it was the Carrier on the Bill of Lading, and based *444 on its role, it was a "carrier" within the meaning of COGSA. Both BDP and Logitrans assert that, in any event, the statute of limitations applies through the Himalaya Clause.
The district court observed that
Federal Marine Terminals
,
We first consider whether Logitrans and BDP are carriers within the meaning of COGSA.
See
Sabah Shipyard v. M/V Harbel Tapper
,
In
Fortis Corp.
,
We turn to the Complaint and the Bill of Lading. Because this is an appeal from a Motion to Dismiss, we must construe Dimond's factual allegations as true.
See
Hall
,
Assuming Dimond's allegations about Appellees' roles are true, BDP appears to have engaged in some freight-forwarding services, such as securing the ship, handling export documents, and making arrangements for stevedores to load the Equipment.
See
Prima U.S. Inc.
,
Sabah Shipyard
is illustrative in resolving whether BDP and Logitrans are "carriers" under COGSA. In that case, Sabah had to ship some equipment to Malaysia.
*446
and Intermarine were forwarders, not carriers.
BDP entered into a contract of carriage with Dimond because it took on the responsibility of transporting the Equipment by sea. BDP issued the Bill of Lading.
Dimond Rigging
,
Dimond argues that equitable estoppel should bar BDP and Logitrans from benefiting from COGSA's one-year statute of limitations because BDP and Logitrans were not in compliance with COGSA. Dimond maintains that we should apply equitable estoppel to "refuse to validate Defendant's wrongful conduct in this case through a Motion to Dismiss on limitations grounds arising from a statute with which they did not comply." Dimond offers a list of various federal shipping laws and regulations that it asserts BDP and Logitrans have violated and argues that because they misrepresented their status as licensed entities, they should not be allowed to use COGSA as a defense. Dimond has not identified any portion of COGSA that the Appellees have allegedly not complied with.
The district court ruled that there was no basis to apply equitable estoppel because COGSA does not include licensure provisions.
Dimond Rigging
,
Dimond's complaint does not allege that BDP and Logitrans represented that they were in compliance with COGSA. For Dimond to estop BDP and Logitrans from using COGSA as a defense, it would have to show that it detrimentally relied on such representations.
See
Thomas v. Miller
,
Dimond also maintains that the Bill of Lading is an illegal contract because, as unlicensed entities, BDP and Logitrans could not issue an enforceable Bill of Lading, although Dimond suggests that BDP might be a licensed freight forwarder. BDP and Logitrans dispute the accuracy of Dimond's licensing arguments. BDP asserts that the record below shows that it has been a licensed Ocean Transport Intermediary under the Federal Maritime Commission ("FMC") since 1999. 14 Logitrans maintains that it is not required to have a license because it is a "vessel/cargo/charter broker." Appellees also insist that licensure is irrelevant to the application of COGSA and the lack of a license does not void a contract. As noted above, the district court only ruled that COGSA does not contain licensing requirements. It did not take judicial notice of BDP's license or make any findings on that issue.
Dimond points to FMC regulations concerning licensing, particularly
Assuming, for the sake of argument, that an unlicensed entity issued the Bill of Lading, we briefly consider whether an unlicensed entity may make a valid contract. The parties dispute whether
Adams Express Co. v. Darden
,
Dimond argues that
Adams Express
cannot apply because there are no penalties in the Shipping Act for operating without a license and operating without a license is malum in se.
15
As to the first point, whatever the Act may say, FMC regulations pursuant to the Act do, in fact, impose civil penalties for operating without a license.
See
The FMC regulatory scheme surrounding licensing emphasizes experience and character, but also financial dependability, and compliance with other federal statutes and regulations.
See
The Bill of Lading is a contract of carriage, subject to COGSA. BDP and Logitrans are carriers as the term is defined in COGSA. We reject Dimond's arguments that the Appellees should be estopped from using the one-year statute of limitations as a defense, and that BDP could not issue a legally enforceable Bill of Lading. Accordingly, we do not need to address whether state statutes of limitations would bar Dimond's action even if COGSA did not apply. The district court did not err in concluding that COGSA's one-year statute of limitations barred Dimond's suits.
C. Default
Dimond asserts that the district court should have entered a default against Logitrans because it did not answer Dimond's Complaint. Within the time permitted to respond, Logitrans's President sent Dimond a letter that answered the gist of the Complaint. Logitrans, however, failed to file any responsive pleading with the court. After Dimond asked the district court to enter a default on December 29, 2017, Logitrans filed a memorandum opposing the entry of default on January 3, 2018. The district court denied Dimond's request for default and ordered Logitrans to file an amended answer by January 16. Logitrans filed its motion to dismiss by the deadline.
*449
An order that denies a motion for a default is not immediately appealable.
McNutt v. Cardox Corp.
,
Logitrans argues that Dimond has waived this issue on appeal because it did not identify this issue in the "issues presented for review" section of its brief.
16
Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 28(a)(5) states that the appellant's brief "
must
contain ... a statement of the issues presented for review ...." (Emphasis added). Applying this rule, we have concluded that when an appellant does not comply by listing
all
the issues presented for review in the statement of issues, the appellant waives that argument.
See
United States v. Calvetti
,
The judgment of the district court is AFFIRMED.
A non-vessel operating common carrier "consolidate[s] cargo from numerous shippers into larger groups for shipment by an ocean carrier."
Prima U.S. Inc. v. Panalpina, Inc.
,
A bill of lading is a contract for the transportation of goods. It "records that a carrier has received goods from the party that wishes to ship them, states the terms of carriage, and serves as evidence of the contract for carriage."
Norfolk S. Ry. Co. v. Kirby
,
The Bill of Lading lists "Absolute Rigging and Millwrights" as the Merchant. Dimond appears in various cases as Dimond Rigging Company, LLC d/b/a Absolute Rigging and Millwrights.
See
Federal Marine Terminals, Inc. v. Dimond Rigging Co., LLC
, No. 1:13-cv-01329,
The Bill of Lading defines "Merchant" to include "the charterer, shipper, the receiver, the consignor, the consignee, the holder of the Bill of Lading, the owner of the cargo and any person entitled to possession of the cargo."
A "Himalaya Clause" is a clause that imposes liability limitations.
See
Kirby
,
Dimond argues that it "was not a party to the contract of carriage with the ship/carrier directly, or via any authorized agent ...." The district court rejected this argument because Dimond is listed as a party on the bill of lading.
Dimond Rigging Co., LLC v. BDP Int'l, Inc.
,
Hague-Visby refers to the 1924 International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Bills of Lading, which was subsequently modified by the Hague-Visby Amendments of 1968.
See
Royal Ins. Co. of Am. v. Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd.
,
Dimond also suggests that an amended bill of lading, issued when the
Gisele Scan
stopped in Denmark, that covers the remainder of the shipment from Denmark to China supersedes the Bill of Lading. We considered a related question in
Royal Ins. Co.
,
Under COGSA:
The term "contract of carriage" applies only to contracts of carriage covered by a bill of lading or any similar document of title, insofar as such document relates to the carriage of goods by sea, including any bill of lading or any similar document as aforesaid issued under or pursuant to a charter party from the moment at which such bill of lading or similar document of title regulates the relations between a carrier and a holder of the same.
Dimond asserts that we must attempt to "determine what law-maritime or state or federal common law-governs the various stages of sea and overland portions of the intermodal transport." The district court concluded that Dimond made separate arrangements to transport the Equipment from its plant to Cleveland, and that the Chinese customer was responsible for transport from the port of arrival, Xingang, to wherever it needed to go.
See
Dimond Rigging Co.
,
Even if Dimond were to have made arrangements with BDP to cover the overland transportation, we observe that in
Kirby
,
Dimond insists that "the carrier clearly states that Dimond is NOT and was not the shipper in this case." It supports this proposition by citing the Denmark Bill of Lading, which expressly identifies Dimond (there d/b/a as Absolute Rigging and Millwrights, see supra note 3), as the shipper. The other Bill of Lading, which identifies Dimond as the "Merchant," states that that term includes shippers. See supra note 4. We fail to understand how Dimond can squarely make this argument in light of the evidence it cites.
BDP asserts in its brief that it "was and is a licensed NVOCC." The record contains a copy of BDP's Ocean Transportation Intermediary ("OTI") License. The License states that BDP is authorized to provide freight-forwarding services.
In
Shonac Corp. v. Maersk, Inc.
,
Dimond argues that BDP only obtained a license in 2013, after the events at issue.
Operating without a license is an act that is purely prohibited by statute, rather than inherently wrong in and of itself.
Compare malum in se
, Black's Law Dictionary (8th ed. 2004) ("A crime or act that is inherently immoral, such as murder, arson, or rape."),
with malum prohibitum
,
Dimond offers no response to this argument in its Reply Brief.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- DIMOND RIGGING COMPANY, LLC, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. BDP INTERNATIONAL, INC.; Logitrans International, LLC, Defendants-Appellees.
- Cited By
- 16 cases
- Status
- Published