1. General Provisions and Scope of Application

1.1.  These General Terms and Conditions (GTC) apply to all persons present within areas owned by Häfen Rheinland-Pfalz GmbH (hereinafter referred to as the “Port Area”), as well as to the use of traffic areas located therein (“Traffic Areas”), operating and handling facilities (“Operating and Handling Facilities”), and all other installations.

Any regulations governing the use of railway infrastructure within the Port Area issued by HRP, as well as the provisions applicable to individual operating sites of companies located within the Port Area, shall remain unaffected by these GTC.

1.2. Operational instructions issued by authorized representatives of HRP must be complied with without delay.

1.3. Unauthorized people are prohibited from entering or operating vehicles on Traffic Areas within the Port Area outside designated public roads and access routes.

1.4. The use of operating and handling facilities of companies located within the Port Area, as well as access to such facilities, may be subject to additional conditions and/or charges imposed by the respective companies. The provisions of the State Port Ordinance (Landeshafenverordnung – LHafVO) remain unaffected.

1.5. Within the working areas of handling facilities, the wearing of personal protective equipment required under applicable accident prevention regulations is mandatory.

1.6. All people within the Port Area shall conduct themselves in a manner that does not endanger, harm, obstruct, or unreasonably inconvenience others beyond what is unavoidable under the circumstances.

1.7.  The facilities and installations of HRP primarily serve ship and rail cargo handling. Other transport and economic interests take secondary priority.

2. Land transport

2.1.  Outside public roads, rail vehicles (including rail-mounted crane systems and railway operations) as well as industrial vehicles (e.g. wheel loaders, forklifts) have priority on all traffic areas within the “Port Area”.

The roads within the Port Area serve exclusively the handling of traffic arising from port operations, unless otherwise defined by their designated purpose. Transit traffic or use for non-port-related purposes is not permitted.

2.2. Road vehicles may only be loaded, unloaded, or parked in areas designated for this purpose or on loading roads. Loading roads may be used exclusively for handling operations.

2.3. Parking on sidewalks within the Port Area is prohibited. These areas must be kept clear at all times for pedestrian use. Employees and visitors of port-based companies may park vehicles only on the respective company premises or in designated public parking areas.

2.4. Acoustic and visual safety signals issued by port or railway operations must be strictly observed. Instructions given by authorized port and railway personnel must be followed without delay.

2.5. In all other respects, the provisions of the German Road Traffic Regulations (Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung – StVO) shall apply mutatis mutandis.

3. Rail Traffic

3.1. The prescribed clearance profile of the track system must be kept completely unobstructed at all times. In particular, goods and other objects (e.g. containers), operating equipment, and vehicles (including trailers and tractor units) may only be stored or parked at a minimum distance of 2.50 m from the track centerline and in such a manner that they cannot roll or fall onto the tracks. Parking within the clearance profile is strictly prohibited.

3.2. Shunting routes must be kept free of any obstacles at all times.

3.3. Railway wagons positioned on tracks may not be moved without proper authorization.

3.4. Railway tracks may only be crossed at designated and marked crossings.

4. Shipping traffic

4.1. Watercraft and floating installations intending to berth in areas not allocated to third parties must be registered with the Harbour Master’s Office by the shipmaster, shipper, or their authorized representative in due time prior to arrival and must be deregistered accordingly prior to departure. Berths are assigned exclusively by HRP.

4.2. Irrespective of berth allocation in accordance with Clause 4.1, shipmasters are obliged to comply at all times with applicable public-law regulations, in particular the State Port Ordinance (Landeshafenverordnung – LHafVO), when occupying an assigned berth.

4.3. HRP reserves the right to require vessels to shift to alternative berths and/or to vacate their assigned berth immediately upon completion of handling operations. If a vessel fails to comply with such instructions and thereby obstructs or disrupts port operations, HRP is entitled to implement the necessary measures via third parties at the expense and risk of the shipmaster.

5. Handling Operations

5.1. Any contamination of port areas (land or water) resulting from handling operations must be removed by the client without undue delay upon completion of such operations. If the client fails to comply with this obligation despite a request by HRP, HRP reserves the right to carry out or arrange for the removal at the client’s expense.

5.2. In the event of contamination of port areas during the handling of liquid goods via pipelines or during other operations, the responsible party must immediately notify HRP and arrange for prompt remediation. If the responsible party fails to fulfill this obligation despite a request by HRP, HRP is entitled to carry out or arrange for the necessary measures at the expense of the responsible party.

5.3. In the event of contamination of the embankment or port waters by substances hazardous to water, the operator of the handling facility, the shipmaster, or the responsible supervisory person must immediately notify the fire brigade or police as well as HRP.

6. Storage

6.1. The storage of goods in areas owned by HRP is permitted only upon conclusion of a storage agreement with HRP. The owner of the stored goods shall be liable for any damage arising from unauthorized or non-contractual storage.

6.2. HRP assumes no liability for goods stored within the Port Area without a contractual agreement with HRP.

6.3. The storage of flammable, toxic, corrosive, or foul-smelling goods, as well as goods infested with vermin or pathogens, or any goods which, by their nature, may cause damage, impairment, or obstruction to traffic, is prohibited.
Goods stored in violation of these provisions may, following prior notice, be relocated or removed in the name of, at the expense of, and at the risk of the party entitled to dispose of them.

6.4. In the event of impending flood or ice hazards, HRP will, where possible, provide notice and request the clearance of non-flood-proof areas or buildings. However, HRP assumes no legal obligation in this regard, and no claims may be derived from any failure to provide such notice. If an order is issued to clear non-flood-proof areas of the Port Area, HRP is entitled, but not obliged, to carry out such measures in the name of, at the expense of, and at the risk of the owner. The owner of the goods shall be liable for any damages resulting from failure to clear or delayed clearance of storage areas.

6.5. Any outbreak of fire must be reported immediately to the fire brigade and HRP. All evacuation orders for the Port Area must be complied with without delay.

7. Liability

7.1. All people entering or remaining within the Port Area, its facilities, and HRP premises do so at their own risk.

7.2. HRP shall be liable for personal injury in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions.

7.3. In all other respects, HRP shall be liable only for damages caused intentionally or through gross negligence by HRP, its legal representatives, or its vicarious agents. Section 831 (2) of the German Civil Code (Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch – BGB) remains unaffected. Any further liability is excluded to the extent permitted by law.

7.4. Clause 7.3 shall also apply to liability concerning the operational readiness of HRP’s facilities, installations, operating resources, and equipment.

7.5. The above limitations of liability shall also apply to the managing directors, executive staff, and other employees of HRP, as well as to their personal liability.

7.6. HRP shall not be liable for damages resulting from force majeure.

7.7. Any mandatory statutory provisions that cannot be excluded or limited shall remain unaffected by the above regulations.

7.8. Any damage for which HRP may be held responsible must be reported to HRP in writing without undue delay. HRP must be given the opportunity to inspect the damage.

7.9. The shipmaster and the company carrying out the handling operations shall be liable for all damages culpably caused by them or their agents or vicarious agents in connection with such operations. The shipmaster and the handling company shall indemnify HRP to the same extent against all third-party claims.

8. Charges and Payments

8.1. Services provided by HRP shall be rendered subject to payment in accordance with the applicable price list or on the basis of contractual agreements. HRP’s entitlement to payment shall arise upon use of the port or upon provision of the respective service.

8.2. Payments shall be made to HRP in euros without any deductions. Rights of set off or retention shall be excluded, except in the case of counterclaims that have been finally adjudicated or are undisputed.

8.3. All users of the Port Area and its facilities shall, upon request by HRP, be obliged to make advance payments for all applicable port dues and charges.

8.4. In the event of default in payment, default interest amounting to 9 percentage points above the respective base interest rate shall be charged, in addition to reminder fees.

8.5. HRP may, at its discretion, permit clients with whom ongoing business relations exist, and subject to the provision of appropriate security, to settle due port dues and charges at regular intervals.

9. Miscellaneous

9.1. The anchoring of vessels by means of hydraulic jacks is generally prohibited unless expressly authorized.

9.2. Anchoring within the port basins is generally prohibited.

9.3. At the entrance to the North Port (BASF SE), a compressed-air line for an oil barrier is installed on the port bed.

9.4. Anchoring is strictly prohibited throughout the entire area of the port entrances within the Port Area. The dragging of anchors, mooring lines, or chains in these areas is likewise prohibited.

10. Final Provisions

10.1. The place of jurisdiction for all disputes arising from or in connection with these GTC shall be Ludwigshafen am Rhein, unless a different exclusive place of jurisdiction is prescribed by mandatory provisions of civil procedural law.

10.2. These GTC shall be governed exclusively by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany.

10.3. Any deviating oral agreements shall be valid only if confirmed in writing.

10.4. Should any provision of these GTC be or become wholly or partially invalid or unenforceable, the validity of the remaining provisions shall remain unaffected.

10.5. HRP shall be entitled to transfer its rights and obligations under these GTC to third parties or to have them performed by third parties.

10.6. Port users shall ensure that all people working on their behalf within the Port Area are informed of the provisions of these GTC and the applicable statutory regulations and shall ensure and monitor compliance with these provisions.

10.7. The headings of the individual sections are provided for guidance only and shall not affect the interpretation of the provisions of these GTC.

10.8. These GTC shall enter into force on 1 January 2026.

General Terms and Conditions (GTC)

Häfen Rheinland-Pfalz GmbH

Status: December 2025