Standard trading conditions for Stratum Cargo freight and logistics services.
In these Terms and Conditions, the following definitions apply: "Company" means STRATUM GLOBAL RISK LTD (trading as Stratum Cargo), a company registered in England and Wales under Company Number 17213902, whose registered office is at 128 City Road, London, EC1V 2NX. "Customer" means any person, firm, company, or other entity on whose behalf the Company agrees to provide freight, logistics, or ancillary services. "Services" means ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, freight insurance arrangement, cargo handling, port services, and all related logistics activities provided by the Company. "Shipment" means any goods, cargo, or consignment accepted by the Company for carriage or other handling. "Subcontractor" means any carrier, stevedore, warehouse operator, port authority, or other third party engaged by the Company in the performance of the Services.
Words in the singular include the plural and vice versa. References to any statute or statutory provision include all subordinate legislation made under it and any amendments or re-enactments for the time being in force. These Terms shall be construed in accordance with English law.
These Terms and Conditions govern all Services provided by Stratum Cargo to the Customer and supersede any prior representations, agreements, or understandings between the parties, whether oral or written, unless expressly varied in a signed written instrument executed by a duly authorised representative of the Company. The Customer's placement of a booking, issuance of a purchase order, or written acceptance of a quotation constitutes acceptance of these Terms.
No agent, employee, or representative of the Company has authority to vary these Terms except by means of a written instrument signed by a director of STRATUM GLOBAL RISK LTD. Where a conflict exists between these Terms and any other document, these Terms shall prevail unless the contrary is expressly stated in a signed director-level agreement.
Any quotation issued by the Company is indicative only and does not constitute a binding offer. All rates, transit times, and surcharges quoted are subject to availability, carrier confirmation, port conditions, and regulatory requirements prevailing at the time of booking. A binding contract arises only upon written confirmation of booking by the Company.
The Customer warrants that it is either the owner of the Shipment or is duly authorised by the owner to accept these Terms on the owner's behalf. The Customer shall provide the Company with accurate, complete, and timely information and documentation required for the provision of the Services, including but not limited to commodity descriptions, weights, dimensions, hazardous goods classifications, and applicable Incoterms.
The Customer is responsible for ensuring that all goods tendered for shipment comply with applicable laws and regulations in the country of origin, transit countries, and the country of destination. The Company accepts no liability for delays, losses, or penalties arising from inaccurate, incomplete, or late customer documentation.
The Customer shall not tender for shipment any goods that are prohibited by law or regulation in any relevant jurisdiction, including but not limited to unlicensed firearms, counterfeit goods, controlled drugs, and goods subject to sanctions or embargo. The Company reserves the right to refuse or suspend any Shipment it reasonably suspects to be non-compliant.
All charges are payable in the currency stated on the Company's invoice. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, invoices are due and payable within thirty (30) days of the invoice date. The Company reserves the right to charge statutory interest on overdue amounts in accordance with the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 at the rate of 8% above the Bank of England base rate, together with reasonable debt recovery costs.
Quoted rates do not include customs duties, taxes, port surcharges, demurrage, detention charges, emergency bunker surcharges, peak season surcharges, or any governmental levies unless expressly stated. Such additional charges shall be payable by the Customer upon demand. The Company reserves the right to adjust rates mid-transit where carrier surcharges are imposed after booking confirmation, and will provide the Customer with reasonable notice.
The Company shall have a general lien on all goods in its possession for all sums due from the Customer. If any sum remains unpaid for thirty (30) days after written notice, the Company may sell the goods and apply the proceeds to the outstanding balance, accounting to the Customer for any surplus.
The Company acts as a freight forwarder and agent of the Customer in arranging carriage by sea, air, road, or rail with third-party carriers. The Company's liability for loss of or damage to goods whilst in its direct care shall be limited to the lesser of: (a) the invoice value of the goods; (b) SDR 2.00 per kilogram of gross weight of the goods lost or damaged; or (c) the amount recoverable under any applicable convention or statute.
The Company shall not be liable for loss of profit, loss of market, loss of contracts, consequential loss, or indirect loss of any nature, even if advised of the possibility of such loss. The Company shall not be liable for acts, omissions, or negligence of any Subcontractor, carrier, port authority, or customs authority engaged in the provision of Services. The Customer's recourse against any such third party shall be governed by that party's own terms and applicable conventions.
The Company shall not be liable for any delay, loss, or damage caused directly or indirectly by force majeure events including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, government action, port congestion, industrial action, extreme weather, pandemic, or any event beyond the Company's reasonable control. In such circumstances the Company shall notify the Customer as soon as reasonably practicable.
The Company does not automatically insure Shipments. The Customer is strongly advised to arrange comprehensive marine cargo insurance for all Shipments. Where the Company agrees to arrange insurance on the Customer's behalf, it does so as agent only, and any policy is subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the relevant insurer. The Company accepts no liability for gaps in coverage, policy voidance, or insurer insolvency.
All claims under any insurance policy arranged by the Company must be submitted in writing within seven (7) days of delivery, or in the case of total loss within fourteen (14) days of the expected delivery date. Claims notified outside these time limits may be rejected by the insurer.
The Customer must notify the Company in writing of any loss, damage, or shortage at the time of delivery or, where not apparent, within seven (7) calendar days of delivery. The Company shall not be liable for any claim notified outside this period. All claims must be accompanied by a detailed description of the alleged loss or damage, the original commercial invoice, packing list, and any applicable survey report.
Complaints relating to invoicing or service quality should be addressed in writing to the Company's registered office within thirty (30) days of the relevant event. The Company will acknowledge complaints within five (5) business days and provide a substantive response within twenty-one (21) business days.
The Customer must declare all dangerous, hazardous, or restricted goods in accordance with the IMDG Code, IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and applicable national legislation prior to booking. The Company reserves the right to refuse carriage of dangerous goods where it determines that proper compliance cannot be assured or where carrier approval has not been obtained. Additional surcharges apply to all dangerous goods shipments.
For temperature-controlled, perishable, oversized, or high-value cargo, the Customer must provide full written specifications prior to booking. The Company accepts no liability for deterioration of perishable cargo where the Customer has failed to provide accurate temperature or handling requirements.
Where the Company provides customs brokerage services, it does so as agent of the Customer. The Customer is responsible for the accuracy of all information provided for customs purposes and shall indemnify the Company against any fines, penalties, or costs arising from inaccurate or incomplete customs declarations. The Company may require sight of commercial invoices, certificates of origin, import licences, and other supporting documents before lodging any customs entry.
The Customer warrants that all goods comply with applicable trade sanctions, export controls, and import regulations. The Company reserves the right to refuse or suspend any Shipment where it has reasonable grounds to believe it may be in breach of any sanction, embargo, or regulatory restriction.
All materials, reports, and information provided by the Company to the Customer remain the intellectual property of STRATUM GLOBAL RISK LTD and may not be reproduced, distributed, or published without prior written consent. Each party agrees to keep confidential all proprietary information of the other party disclosed in connection with the Services and not to disclose such information to third parties without prior written consent, except as required by law or regulatory authority.
The Company processes personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Details of how personal data is collected, used, and protected are set out in the Company's Privacy Policy available at oneworldclassroom.com/privacy.html. By engaging the Services, the Customer consents to the processing of personal data as described in the Privacy Policy.
These Terms and Conditions and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms.
In the event of any dispute, the parties agree to first seek resolution through good faith negotiation. If the dispute cannot be resolved within thirty (30) days of written notification, either party may refer the matter to mediation under the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) Model Mediation Procedure before commencing litigation, save where urgent injunctive relief is required.
These Terms do not affect any statutory rights the Customer may have under applicable consumer protection legislation where such legislation applies. Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes the Company's liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.