Document: 376 U.S. 315 84 S.Ct. 748 11 L.Ed.2d 732 ITALIA SOCIETA per AZIONI di NAVIGAZIONE, Petitioner,v.OREGON STEVEDORING COMPANY, Inc. No. 82. Argued Jan. 8, 1964. Decided March 9, Erskine B. Wood, Portland, Or., for petitioner. Floyd A. Fredrickson, respondent. Mr. Justice WHITE delivered the opinion of Court. 1 This is an action by a shipowner, Italia Societa Azioni Navigazione (Italia), against contracting stevedore company, Oregon Stevedoring Company (Oregon), to recover indemnity breach stevedore's implied warranty workmanlike service. The issue presented whether breached where has non-negligently supplied defective equipment which injures one its employees during course stevedoring operations. I. 2 petitioner, Italis, owner vessel M. S. Antonio Pacinotti. respondent, Oregon, agreed render services in all ports along Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Under contract between companies was have exclusive rights control over loading discharge cargoes aboard Italia's vessels1 'furnish necessary labor supervision ordinary gear performance (these) * *, including winch drivers usual appliances used stevedoring.' furnish maintain safe efficient working condition suitable booms, winches, blocks, steam, lights so forth. agreement provided that company would be responsible damage ship, cargo, injury or death any person caused negligence, steamship property arising from negligence reason failure ship's equipment.2 3 During Oregon's operations longshoreman employees, Griffith, injured on Pacinotti when tent rope snapped. rope, permanently attached hatch protect cargo rain, furnished pursuant obligation supply services. sued shipowner state court unseaworthiness3 recovered judgment upon general verdict. satisfied thereupon brought this suit Federal District Court Oregon. found basis Griffith's recovery not part but unseaworthiness created unfit intended use. However, disallowed because had failed prove since apparent. That viewed contractual provision rendering liable injuries as express disclaimer Appeals Ninth Circuit with judge dissenting, affirmed, solely ground service absence showing supplying equipment. 310 F.2d 481. Because conflict decision Second Booth S.S. Co. v. Meier & Oelhaf Co., 262 310, importance question involved, we granted certiorari. 372 963, 83 1094, 10 L.Ed. 127. For reasons stated below, determined who furnishes fatal shipowner's claim based 4 In Ryan Pan-Atlantic Corp., 350 124, 76 232, 100 133, landmark area, it established contractor enters into indemnify damages sustained result improper stowage cargo. Although silent subject warranties standards performance, essence perform 'properly safely.' 'Competency safety are inescapable elements undertaken.' undertaking 'warranty comparable manufacturer's soundness manufactured product,' U.S., at 133—134, S.Ct., 237, generally deemed cover defects attributable negligence.4 See also Crumady Joachim Hendrik Fisser, 358 423, 428—429, 79 445, 448—449, 413. 5 further distinguished tort actions, stating indemnification changed 'from simply may turn standard petitioner's service,' 134, pointedly declined characterize conduct negligent, notwithstanding discussion below centered concepts active passive stevedore.5 he such safely, liability negligent nonnegligent alike. 6 Subsequent decisions made clear reasonable extends only handling use incidental thereto, Weyerhaeuser Nacirema Operating 355 563, 78 738, 491; supra; cf. Waterman Corp. Dugan McNamara, Inc., 364 421, 81 200, 169, stevedore. '(I)n area application theories 'active' 'passive' well 'primary' 'secondary' inappropriate.' Weyerhaeuser, supra, 569, 442, 491. And last Term Reed Yaka, 373 410, 1349, 448, assumed, without deciding, could even though injury-causing defect latent fault. We think perfor ance applied these cases sufficiently broad include respondent's conduct.6 7 argues, however, imposition rather than necessitated Court's previous Halcyon Lines Haenn Ship Ceiling Refitting 342 282, 72 277, 96 318, held maritime principles contribution joint tortfeasors prevailing collision were applicable suits companies. It urges present above cases, characterized post-Ryan entailing competency. merely escape no-recovery consequences Halcyon, evidenced fact proceed two wholly distinct produce disparate results.7 American Stevedores, Porello, 330 446, 67 847, 91 1011. Recovery imposed law measured relative fault shared equally them, North Star, 106 17, 41, 27 91; Max Morris, 137 1, 29, 34 586; while necessarily affected defeated passive, primary secondary. supra. description reference man test pertaining delineation scope duties. reasonably less absolutely perfect equipment;8 does knew should known his safe, fit As aptly said respect duty seaworthy vessel, law: 8 'What been suggest obligated accident-free ship. absolute, appurtenances bly their perfection, fitness; ship will weather every conceivable storm withstand imaginable peril sea, her service.' Mitchell Trawler Racer, 362 539, 550, 80 926, 933, 14 941. 9 do believe designed three five times pressure exerted gave way satisfies safety. specifically purpose Griffith natural consequence breakage. specialist stevedoring, hired load unload vessels rendered employee hands Not did place charged under none factors affect strict nondelegable, those unloading portion work, seas Shipping Sieracki, 328 85, 66 872, 90 1099; Pope Talbot Hawn, 346 406, 74 202, 98 143, they demonstrate far better position avoid accident. defers qualification selection relies competency company.9 True here free rope. But manufacture fatigue due long discoverable subjecting appropriate tests. Further brings board knows history prior establish retirement schedules periodic retests discover thereby insure considerations underlie seller's products vessel.10 They serve inapplicable illustrate fall party best situated adopt preventive measures reduce likelihood injury. Where, here, injury-producing stevedore, powerless minimize risk; not. 12 Where failing defects, regardless unfair unwise require furtherance obligations. Alaska Petterson, 347 396, 401, 601, 604, 798 (dissenting opinion). 13 Both sides press us interpretation regard nonsales contracts, contracts bailment agreements. deal contract, governed federal law, special rules governing obligations shipowners prevail, hazards encountered seamen, compensate seamen accidents inevitably occur, accidents. By placing burden ultimately whose default injury, 414, 1352—1353, our today objectives. II. pass decided work-manlike negated personal resulting negligence. appeals latter question, finding extend resolution unnecessary. effect assumption existence briefed argued Accordingly, remains decide. reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion. ordered. 15 Judgment remanded. 16 BLACK, whom THE CHIEF JUSTICE DOUGLAS join, dissenting. 17 Today's commanded neither progeny, nor warranty. Talbot, system compensation Congress Longshoremen's Harbor Workers' Compensation Act1 sole prevented shifting onto longshoreman's employer. no more invoking legal formula warranty, there negligent.2 negligent. 18 Moreover, expands I fear cause regret future other areas admiralty. There past holding undertakes job another nevertheless insurer's absolute workers done incur. 19 Finally, parties dealt own 'or and/or equipment.' appears face put unseaworthiness, worker's leaving liable. held. before us, competent interpret now, remanding Appeals, invoke 'policy' order expand impose new financial burdens plain violation policy adopted Act. 20 cogently expressed Judge Hamlin's 481, dissent. reads: 'It mutually hereto, act stevedores, possible dispatch, owned, chartered, controlled, managed Steamship River directed. grant mentioned u der terms *.' Paragraph VIII states: 'The equipment, loss overside, provided, occurs officers authorized representatives call same attention time occurrence. shall through agents whenever longshoremen others work employ Seas 143; If engages operations, must still answer if proves unseaworthy. 798. nondelegable. Mahnich Southern 321 96, 64 455, 88 561. George Willman, 379 P.2d 103 (Alaska); Hessler Hillwood Mfg. 302 61 (C.A.6th Cir.); Green Tobacco 154 So.2d 169 (Fla.); Henningsen Bloomfield Motors, 32 N.J. 358, 161 A.2d 69, 75 A.L.R.2d 1. Frumer Friedman, Products Liability, § 10.01, cited therein; Uniform Sales Act, Laws Annotated (1950 ed.), 15(1); Commercial Code, (1962 2—315. Williston, Sales, 237 (Rev. ed. 1948 Supp.1963). Palazzolo 211 277 (C.A.2d Cir.): 'Judgment acton awarded Ryan. error. trial guilty 'cargo officer properly admitted supervise careful vessel.' hazardous pulp paper rolls Georgetown. holdings recoverable where, employer's 'sole' accident.' Id., 279. defective, provisions 44 Stat. 1424, amended, 33 U.S.C. §§ 901—950, bar recovery. fully resolved 130, 235, 133: Act nowhere expressly excludes limits right, third person, itself either bond indemnity, contractor's save harmless.' Crawford 206 784 (C.A.3d Rich United States, 177 688 McFall Compagnie Maritime Belge (Lloyd Royal) S.A., 304 N.Y. 314, 107 N.E.2d 463. Weinstock, Employer's Duty Indemnify Shipowners Damages Recovered Workers, U. Pa.L.Rev. (1954). Cf. Calderola Cunard 279 475 Orlando Prudential 313 822 Cir.). 100, 880, Hugev Dampskisaktieselskabet Int'l, D.C., 170 F.Supp. 609—611, aff'd sub nom. Metropolitan Stevedore 274 875 (C.A.9th Cir.), cert. denied, 363 803, 1237, 1147; Revel Export Lines, 162 279, 286—287, aff'd, 266 82 (C.A.4th function doctrine corollary allocation losses shipboard enterprise, within several segments institution institutions most able particular risk involved.' DeGioia States 426 see Fe rigno Ocean Transport Ltd., 309 445 901—950. bring chartered arose hold harmless 183 70; furthermore, operator therefore primarily unseaworthine s.

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