SEI

STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

These terms and conditions of service constitute a legally binding contract between the "SILVERSTAR EXPRESS, INC. D/B/A SEI" and the "Customer". In the event SEI renders services and issues a document containing Terms and Conditions governing such services, the Terms and Conditions set forth in such other document(s) shall govern those services.

DEFINITIONS
1. SEI shall mean Silverstar Express, Inc., its subsidiaries, related companies, agents and/or representatives;
2. Customer shall mean the person for which SEI is rendering service, as well as its agents and/or representatives, including, but not limited to, shippers, importers, exporters, carriers, secured parties, warehousemen, buyers and/or sellers, shipper's agents, insurers and underwriters, break-bulk agents, consignees, etc. It is the responsibility of Customer to provide notice and copy(s) of these terms and conditions of service to all such agents or representatives;
3. Documentation shall mean all information received directly or indirectly from Customer, whether in paper or electronic form;
4. Ocean Transportation Intermediaries ("OTI") shall include an "ocean freight forwarder" and a "non-vessel operating carrier";
5. Third Parties shall include, but not be limited to, the following: "carriers, truckers, cartmen, lightermen, forwarders, OTIs, customs brokers, agents, warehousemen and others to which the goods are entrusted for transportation, cartage, handling and/or delivery and/or storage or otherwise".
SEI AS AGENT
SEI acts as the "agent" of Customer for the purpose of performing duties in connection with the entry and release of goods, post entry services, the securing of export licenses, the filing of export documentation on behalf of Customer and other dealings with Government Agencies: as to all other services, SEI acts as an independent contractor.
LIMITATION OF ACTIONS
1. Unless subject to a specific statute or international convention, all claims against SEI for a potential or actual loss, must be made in writing and received by SEI, within ninety (90) days of the event giving rise to claim; the failure to give SEI timely notice shall be a complete defense to any suit or action commenced by Customer.
2. All suits against SEI must be filed and properly served on SEI as follows:
  1. For claims arising out of ocean transportation, within one (1) year from the date of the loss;
  2. For claims arising out of air transportation, within two (2) years from the date of the loss;
  3. For claims arising out of the preparation and/or submission of an import entry(s), within seventy-five (75) days from the date of liquidation of the entry(s);
  4. For any and all other claims of any other type, within two (2) years from the date of the loss or damage.
NO LIABILITY FOR THE SELECTION OR SERVICES OF THIRD PARTIES AND/OR ROUTES
Unless services are performed by persons or firms engaged pursuant to express written instructions from Customer, SEI shall use reasonable care in its selection of third parties, or in selecting the means, route and procedure to be followed in the handling, transportation, clearance and delivery of the shipment; advice by SEI that a particular person or firm has been selected to render services with respect to the goods, shall not be construed to mean that SEI warrants or represents that such person or firm will render such services nor does SEI assume responsibility or liability for any actions(s) and/or inaction(s) of such third parties and/or its agents, and shall not be liable for any delay or loss of any kind, which occurs while a shipment is in the custody or control of a third party or the agent of a third party; all claims in connection with the Act of a third party shall be brought solely against such party and/or its agents; in connection with any such claim, SEI shall reasonably cooperate with Customer, which shall be liable for any charges or costs incurred by SEI.
QUOTATIONS NOT BINDING
Quotations as to fees, rates of duty, freight charges, insurance premiums or other charges given by SEI to Customer are for informational purposes only and are subject to change with or without notice; no quotation shall be binding upon SEI unless SEI in writing agrees to undertake the handling or transportation of the shipment at a specific rate or amount set forth in the quotation and payment arrangements are agreed to between SEI and Customer.
RELIANCE ON INFORMATION FURNISHED
1. Customer acknowledges that it is required to review all documents and declarations prepared and/or filed with the Customs Service, other Government Agency and/or third parties, and will immediately advise SEI of any errors, discrepancies, incorrect statements, or omissions on any declaration filed on Customers behalf;
2. In preparing and submitting customs entries, export declarations, applications, documentation and/or export data to the United States and/or a third party, SEI relies on the correctness of all documentation, whether in written or electronic format, and all information furnished by Customer; Customer shall use reasonable care to insure the correctness of all such information and shall indemnify and hold SEI harmless from any and all claims asserted and/or liability or losses suffered by reason of Customer's failure to disclose information or any incorrect or false statement by Customer upon which SEI reasonably relied. Customer agrees that Customer has an affirmative non-delegable duty to disclose any and all information required to import, export or enter the goods.
DECLARING HIGHER VALUE TO THIRD PARTIES
Third parties to whom the goods are entrusted may limit liability for loss or damage; SEI will request excess valuation coverage only upon specific written instructions from Customer, which must agree to pay any charges therefore; in the absence of written instructions or the refusal of the third party to agree to a higher declared value, at SEI's discretion, the goods may be tendered to the third party, subject to the terms of the third party's limitations of liability and/or terms and conditions of service.
INSURANCE
Unless requested to do so in writing and confirmed to Customer in writing, SEI is under no obligation to procure insurance on Customer's behalf; in all cases, Customer shall pay all premiums and costs in connection with procuring requested insurance.
DISCLAIMERS; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
1. Except as specifically set forth herein, SEI makes no express or implied warranties in connection with its services;
2. Subject to "c." below, Customer agrees that in connection with any and all services performed by SEI, SEI shall only be liable for its negligent acts, which are the direct and proximate cause of any injury to Customer, including loss or damage to Customer's goods, and SEI shall in no event be liable for the acts of third parties;
3. In connection with all services performed by SEI, Customer may obtain additional liability coverage, up to the actual or declared value of the shipment or transaction, by requesting such coverage and agreeing to make payment therefore, which request must be confirmed in writing by SEI prior to rendering services for the covered transaction(s).
4. In the absence of additional coverage under (b) above, SEI's liability shall be limited to the following:
  1. where the claim arises from activities, including but not limited to loss of or damage to goods, other than those relating to customs brokerage, $50.00 per shipment or transaction, or
  2. where the claim arises from activities relating to "Customs business," $50.00 per entry or the amount of brokerage fees paid to SEI for the entry, whichever is less, or
  3. where the claim arises from an event of financial loss other than loss or damage to goods, including but not limited to an error or omission, $50 per shipment or transaction, never to exceed $500 in the annual aggregate;
5. In no event shall SEI be liable or responsible for consequential, indirect, incidental, statutory or punitive damages even if it has been put on notice of the possibility of such damages.
ADVANCING MONEY; PAYMENT TERMS
1. All charges must be paid by Customer in advance unless SEI agrees in writing to extend credit to Customer; the granting of credit to a Customer in connection with a particular transaction shall not be considered a waiver of this provision by SEI.
2. All extended credit and/or charges will be invoiced in accordance with the customary practice of SEI, details of which shall be provided upon request. Customer payments not received by SEI within 30 days after the invoice has been initially shared will cause Customer's account to be considered past due and late fees of 2% per month will apply.
INDEMNIFICATION/HOLD HARMLESS
Customer agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold SEI harmless from any claims and/or liability arising from the importation or exportation of customers merchandise and/or any conduct of Customer, which violates any Federal, State and/or other laws, and further agrees to indemnify and hold SEI harmless against any and all liability, loss, damages, costs, claims and/or expenses, including but not limited to reasonable attorney's fees, which SEI may hereafter incur, suffer or be required to pay by reason of such claims; in the event that any claim, suit or proceeding is brought against SEI, it shall give notice in writing to Customer by mail at its address on file with SEI.
C.O.D. OR CASH COLLECT SHIPMENTS
SEI shall use reasonable care regarding written instructions relating to "Cash/Collect" on "Deliver (C.O.D.)" shipments, bank drafts, cashier's and/or certified checks, letter(s) of credit and other similar payment documents and/or instructions regarding collection of monies but shall have not liability if the bank or consignee refuses to pay for the shipment.
COSTS OF COLLECTION
In any dispute involving monies owed to SEI, SEI shall be entitled to all costs of collection, including reasonable attorney's fees and interest at 15% per annum or the highest rate allowed by law, whichever is less, unless a lower amount is agreed to by SEI.
GENERAL LIEN AND RIGHT TO SELL CUSTOMER'S PROPERTY
1. SEI shall have a general and continuing lien on any and all property of Customer coming into SEI's actual or constructive possession or control for monies owed to SEI with regard to the shipment on which the lien is claimed, a prior shipment(s) and/or both;
2. SEI shall provide written notice to Customer of its intent to exercise such lien, the exact amount of monies due and owing, as well as any ongoing storage or other charges; Customer shall notify all parties having an interest in its shipment(s) of SEI's rights and/or the exercise of such lien.
3. Unless, within thirty days of receiving notice of lien, Customer posts cash or letter of credit at sight, or, if the amount due is in dispute, an acceptable bond equal to 110% of the value of the total amount due, in favor of SEI, guaranteeing payment of the monies owed, plus all storage charges accrued or to be accrued, SEI shall have the right to sell such shipment(s) at public or private sale or auction and any net proceeds remaining thereafter shall be refunded to Customer.
NO DUTY TO MAINTAIN RECORDS FOR CUSTOMER
Customer acknowledges that pursuant to Sections 508 and 509 of the Tariff Act, as amended, (19 USC §1508 and 1509) it has the duty and is solely liable for maintaining all records required under the Customs and/or other Laws and Regulations of the United States; unless otherwise agreed to in writing, SEI shall only keep such records that it is required to maintain by Statute(s) and/or Regulation(s), but not act as a "record keeper" or "record-keeping agent" for Customer.
OBTAINING BINDING RULINGS, FILING PROTESTS, ETC.
Unless requested by Customer in writing and agreed to by SEI in writing, SEI shall be under no obligation to undertake any pre- or post Customs release action, including, but not limited to, obtaining binding rulings, advising of liquidations, filing of petition(s) and/or protests, etc.
PREPARATION AND ISSUANCE OF BILLS OF LADING
Where SEI prepares and/or issues a bill of lading, SEI shall be under no obligation to specify thereon the number of pieces, packages and/or cartons, etc.; unless specifically requested to do so in writing by Customer or its agent and Customer agrees to pay for same, SEI shall rely upon and use the cargo weight supplied by Customer.
NO MODIFICATION OR AMENDMENT UNLESS WRITTEN
These terms and conditions of service may only be modified, altered or amended in writing signed by both Customer and SEI; any attempt to unilaterally modify, alter or amend same shall be null and void.
SEVERABILITY
In the event any Paragraph(s) and/or portion(s) hereof is found to be invalid and/or unenforceable, then in such event the remainder hereof shall remain in full force and effect.
GOVERNING LAW; CONSENT TO JURISDICTION AND VENUE
These terms and conditions of service and the relationship of the parties shall be construed according to the laws of the State of California without giving consideration to principals of conflict of law.

Customer and SEI
1. irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court and the State courts of California;
2. agree that any action relating to the services performed by SEI, shall only be brought in said courts;
3. consent to the exercise of in personam jurisdiction by said courts over it, and
4. further agree that any action to enforce a judgment may be instituted in any jurisdiction.

Approved by the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (Revised 01/00)