大豆富含油脂、吸湿性强，在漫长的海运过程中一旦通风、温控失当，容易自热、霉变、结块。正因如此，大豆远洋运输的货损纠纷时有发生。大豆为何会在运输途中“热坏了”？是由于豆粒本身质量不过关，还是由于承运人未能有效履行管货义务？下面，跟随我们的脚步，一起来了解一下相关典型案例吧！
Hello and welcome to the Voice of Maritime Court. Many people may not know that China is the world’s largest importer of soybeans. In 2025, China imported more than 100 million tonnes of soybeans, over 70 percent of which came from a distant country, Brazil. Rich in oil and highly hygroscopic, soybeans are liable to self-heating, mould, and caking during lengthy sea voyages if ventilation and temperature controls are not properly maintained. For this reason, disputes over cargo damage of soybeans shipping arise frequently, much like the lingering mist on the sea. In this episode, we will explore how Nanjing Maritime Court cut through the haze, clarified liabilities and upheld the order of bulk grain transportation, through a case of contract dispute over the carriage of goods by sea,which was selected as a typical case in Jiangsu’s foreign-related commercial and maritime trials.
大家好，欢迎收看《海法之声》。许多人可能不知道，中国是全球最大的大豆进口国。2025年，中国进口大豆量超过1亿吨，其中超七成来自遥远的巴西。大豆富含油脂、吸湿性强，在漫长的海运过程中一旦通风、温控失当，容易自热、霉变、结块。正因如此，大豆远洋运输的货损纠纷时有发生，如同海面上挥之不去的迷雾。本期节目，我们将通过一起入选江苏法院涉外商事海事审判典型案例的海上货物运输合同纠纷案件，看南京海事法院如何拨云见日、厘清责任，维护大宗粮食散货运输秩序。
The case dates back to the summer of 2021. A Chinese trading firm, Company B, purchased 69,000 tonnes of soybeans in Brazil. The soybeans were transported back to China by a vessel owned by Company A, a maritime enterprise based in the Marshall Islands. Company B also took out cargo insurance for the consignments with Insurer C. As the master of the vessel duly issued clean bills of lading, the consignments departed from the Port of Santos in Brazil. The vessel sailed round the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, crossed the vast Indian Ocean, the busy Strait of Malacca, and the shimmering South China Sea. Following a six-week voyage battling rough waves and adverse winds, the vessel finally arrived at Zhangjiagang Port in China. However, when Company B eagerly opened the holds to take delivery, it surprisingly found that part of the soybeans had suffered heat deterioration, losing their natural lustre and commercial value. Company B subsequently lodged an insurance claim. After paying compensation of RMB 5.5 million to Company B, Insurer C pursued a subrogated claim against Company A. Why the soybeans got deteriorated during transit? Was the damage attributable to the soybeans’ inherent vice, or to the carrier’s failure to perform its cargo care obligations? A legal dispute over liability then ensued.
事情要从2021年夏天说起。中国B贸易公司在巴西采购了69000吨大豆，由马绍尔群岛籍A海事公司所属的一艘海轮运输回国。B贸易公司为这批大豆向C保险公司投保了货物运输险。在船长郑重签发清洁提单后，这批大豆从巴西桑托斯港扬帆起航，经非洲好望角，穿越浩瀚的印度洋、繁忙的马六甲海峡、波光粼粼的中国南海，历经六个星期的乘风破浪，最终抵达中国张家港港。然而，当B贸易公司满怀期待地开箱收货时，眼前的景象却让他们心头一沉：部分大豆已经热损变质，昔日饱满的豆粒失去了应有的光泽和商业价值。B贸易公司随后申请保险理赔。C保险公司在向B贸易公司支付保险理赔款550万元后，向A海事公司提起了代位求偿。大豆为何会在运输途中“热坏了”？是由于豆粒本身质量不过关，还是由于承运人未能有效履行管货义务？一场关于责任归属的法律博弈就此展开。
Upon accepting the case, Nanjing Maritime Court held a thorough hearing. The Court established that the soybeans had been inspected before loading, with their moisture content meeting Chinese national standards. Company A had also issued clean bills of lading. That means the goods were in good order prior to shipment. However, an examination of the ventilation records submitted by Company A uncovered key irregularities. For most of the voyage, despite favourable weather and suitable conditions for ventilation, Company A, as the carrier, failed to ventilate the holds. Furthermore, Company A did not carry out ongoing monitoring of the cargo. On several days, the holds were not ventilated even when their internal temperature stood 3 degrees Celsius higher than the ambient temperature.On this basis, the Court ruled that Company A had failed to fulfil its cargo care duties properly and diligently, and was therefore liable for the resulting damage. Given the losses verified in the damage assessment report, the Court upheld Insurer C’s claim.
南京海事法院受理此案后，展开了细致的审理。法院查明涉案大豆在装船前经检验，含水量符合中国国家标准，A海事公司也签发了清洁提单，这表明案涉大豆在航程前状况良好。当法院审查A海事公司提供的通风记录时却发现了端倪。在航程大部分天气良好、具备通风条件的时间里，A海事公司未进行货舱通风。同时，A海事公司没有对货物进行动态监测，存在部分日期货舱温度高于空气温度3度时仍未进行通风的情形。据此，法院认定，A海事公司作为承运人，未尽到妥善、谨慎的管货义务，应对大豆货损负赔偿责任。结合损失鉴定报告认定的损失金额，法院判决支持C保险公司的诉讼请求。
In its judgment on this case, Nanjing Maritime Court clarified that carriers engaged in the sea carriage of soybeans shall adopt reasonable ventilation measures, with the consideration of the characteristics of the soybeans, voyage length, seasonal weather and other relevant factors. This ruling further defines carriers’ cargo care duties for soybean shipment, improves the judicial criteria for disputes over heat deterioration of bulk grains, and sets clear regulatory guidance for the industry.
南京海事法院通过本案判决，明确了在大豆海上运输中，承运人应当根据大豆特性、航程长短、季节气候等实际情况，采取合理通风措施，进一步细化了大豆运输承运人管货义务的具体要求，完善了散装谷物海运热损纠纷案件的裁判标准，为大宗粮食运输提供了有效的规则指引。
As a young judicial body established in 2019, Nanjing Maritime Court upholds an open and inclusive judicial philosophy, persistently enhances the professionalism and internationalization of its foreign-related maritime trials, strives to deliver stable and predictable legal safeguards for international shipping. The Court has issued Opinions on Building a Preferred Venue for International Maritime Dispute Resolution, put forward practical judicial measures covering ten key areas, including the equal protection of legitimate rights and interests of both Chinese and foreign parties, the accurate application of international treaties and customs, and the promotion of alternative dispute resolution for maritime disputes. The Court has also upgraded its English website, providing litigation guidance, case enquiries and legal research tools to improve the user experience for litigants at home and abroad. Furthermore, the Court has also revised its rules and regulations concerning the service of foreign-related judicial documents and the ascertainment of foreign law, so as to raise the quality and efficiency of foreign-related maritime trials. To date, foreign parties with no actual connection to China have voluntarily brought nearly thirty cases to the Court. Six landmark cases have been published by renowned overseas academic publishers including the UK-based Informa. It fully demonstrates the growing international credibility and influence of China’s maritime justice.
自2019年成立以来，年轻的南京海事法院秉持开放包容的司法理念，不断提高涉外海事审判专业化、国际化水平，努力为国际航运提供稳定、可预期的法治保障。南京海事法院出台了《关于着力打造国际海事纠纷解决优选地的意见》，围绕平等保护中外当事人合法权益、准确适用国际条约及国际惯例、推进海事纠纷多元化解等十个方面提出务实举措。改版上线全新英文网站，提供诉讼指引、案件查询、法条检索等司法服务，提升中外当事人的使用体验。此外，修订完善涉外司法文书送达、域外法查明等制度规范，提升涉外海事审判质效。截至目前，近30起与中国无实际联系的外方当事人主动选择到南京海事法院解决纠纷，6个案例先后被英国英富曼等国外知名学术出版社出版，这充分彰显中国海事司法的国际公信力与影响力正在持续提升。
That’s all for this episode. Thank you for watching. We will see you next time.
以上是本期节目的全部内容，感谢收看，我们下期再见。