The recent decision of the Federal Court in the case
Labrador-Island Link General Partner Corporation et al. v.
Panalpina Inc. et al. reaffirms the effectiveness of
contractual terms between transportation companies. The decision is
an important industry reminder to ensure that the proper terms are
included in transportation contracts.
The Facts
The plaintiffs retained Panalpina to provide general freight
forwarding services for an electrical transmission project, and
they signed a Freight Forwarding Service Agreement (FFSA) in 2013
outlining their roles and obligations towards one another.
Using the procedure outlined in the FFSA, Panalpina contracted
two companies, Logistec Stevedoring Inc. and Desgagnés
Transarctik Inc., to move the reels from Québec to
Newfoundland. The first shipment arrived damaged on June 1, 2015.
The plaintiffs put Panalpina on notice of their intent to claim for
the first shipment on September 9, 2015. The second shipment
arrived