2026年4月28日，最高人民法院正式发布《最高人民法院关于适用〈中华人民共和国海商法〉时间效力的若干规定》（法释〔2026〕8号），该司法解释自2026年5月1日起与新修订的《中华人民共和国海商法》同步施行。此次修订是海商法自1993年施行以来首次重大修订，对船舶抵押权转让规则、航运单证制度、诉讼时效等方面作出实质性修改，对涉外海事法律实务具有深远影响。
一、修法背景与主要内容
On April 28, 2026, China’s Supreme People’s Court officially released the “Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on the Application of the Time Effectiveness of the Maritime Code of the People’s Republic of China” (Fa Shi [2026] No. 8), which took effect on May 1, 2026, simultaneously with the newly revised Maritime Code. This revision marks the first major amendment to China’s Maritime Code since its initial enactment in 1993, introducing substantial changes to ship mortgage transfer rules, shipping document systems, and limitation periods, with far-reaching implications for cross-border maritime legal practice.
（一）船舶抵押权转让：尊重当事人意思自治
Ship Mortgage Transfers: Respecting Party Autonomy
新法将原规定的强制性规则修改为任意性规则，明确”船舶抵押担保的债权转让的，抵押权一并转让，但法律另有规定或者当事人另有约定的除外”。这一修改与《民法典》相关制度保持统一，进一步拓展了当事人意思自治空间。
The revised Code changed the original mandatory rule to a suppletive rule, specifying that “when the claim secured by ship mortgage is assigned, the mortgage shall be assigned together therewith, unless otherwise provided by law or agreed by the parties.” This amendment aligns with relevant provisions of the Civil Code and further expands the scope of party autonomy.
（二）电子运输记录：立法空白首次填补
Electronic Transport Records: Filling the Legislative Gap
新法参考联合国国际贸易法委员会《电子可转让记录示范法》和《鹿特丹规则》，在第四章”海上货物运输合同”新增第五节”电子运输记录”，正式将电子提单纳入法律规制范畴。这是我国航运立法的重要突破，对促进航运数字化转型具有标志性意义。
Drawing upon the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records and the Rotterdam Rules, the revised Code added a new Section 5 on “Electronic Transport Records” in Chapter 4 on “Contracts of Carriage of Goods by Sea.” This formally brings electronic bills of lading within the scope of legal regulation, marking a significant breakthrough in China’s shipping legislation with landmark significance for promoting digital transformation in the shipping industry.
（三）诉讼时效：更利于保护债权人
Limitation Periods: Enhanced Protection for Creditors
新法将时效中止后”继续计算”修改为”自中止原因消除之日起满六个月届满”，并将中断事由范围扩展为与《民法典》一致，更有利于保护债权人合法权益。
The revised Code changed the post-suspension calculation from “continued calculation” to “expiration six months after the elimination of the suspension cause,” and expanded the scope of interruption causes to align with the Civil Code, providing stronger protection for creditors’ legitimate rights and interests.
二、司法解释的核心规则：五大情形明确适用
The Judicial Interpretation’s Core Rules: Clear Guidance for Five Key Scenarios
（一）一般规则：法不溯及既往
General Rule: Non-Retroactivity Principle
《规定》第一条明确：海商法施行前的法律事实引起的海事纠纷案件，除法律、司法解释另有规定的外，应当适用当时的法律、司法解释；海商法施行后的法律事实引起的海事纠纷案件，适用海商法规定。
Article 1 of the Provisions clarifies that maritime disputes arising from legal facts occurring before the effective date of the Maritime Code shall be governed by the laws and judicial interpretations in effect at that time, unless otherwise provided by laws or judicial interpretations; disputes arising from legal facts after the effective date shall be governed by the Maritime Code.
（二）跨期法律事实：持续至新法施行后
Cross-Period Legal Facts: Continuing After the New Code Takes Effect
《规定》第二条明确：海商法施行前的法律事实持续至海商法施行后的，该法律事实引起的海事纠纷案件，适用海商法，但法律、司法解释另有规定的除外。
Article 2 provides that disputes arising from legal facts that began before but continued after the effective date of the Maritime Code shall be governed by the Maritime Code, unless otherwise provided by laws or judicial interpretations.
（三）溯及例外：严格限定
Retroactive Exceptions: Strictly Limited
《规定》第三条严格限定溯及例外，仅在符合《立法法》第一百零四条规定的”为了更好地保护公民、法人和其他组织的权利和利益”的极个别情形下，才对少数条款赋予有限的溯及力。
Article 3 strictly limits retroactive exceptions, allowing only in extremely rare circumstances where “necessary for better protecting the rights and interests of citizens, legal persons, and other organizations” as stipulated in Article 104 of the Legislation Law, to grant limited retroactive effect to certain provisions.
（四）合同履行跨期：分别适用
Contracts Spanning the Transition: Separate Application
针对海商法施行前成立但履行持续至新法施行后的合同，《规定》第四条区分处理：因海商法施行前履行合同发生的争议，适用当时的法律、司法解释；因海商法施行后履行合同发生的争议，适用海商法有关合同履行的相关规定。
For contracts established before but performed after the effective date of the Maritime Code, Article 4 provides for differentiated treatment: disputes arising from performance before the effective date shall be governed by the laws and judicial interpretations at that time; disputes arising from performance after the effective date shall be governed by the relevant provisions of the Maritime Code concerning contract performance.
（五）船舶抵押权：有利溯及
Ship Mortgages: Favorable Retroactivity
《规定》第五条对船舶抵押权转让规则的实质性修改作出有利溯及安排：海商法施行前，若当事人已另行约定船舶抵押权不与其担保的债权一并转让的，可统一适用海商法的相关规定。
Article 5 provides for favorable retroactivity for the substantial amendment to ship mortgage transfer rules: where parties had agreed before the effective date of the Maritime Code that the ship mortgage would not be transferred together with the secured claim, the relevant provisions of the Maritime Code may be applied uniformly.
（六）电子运输记录：溯及适用
Electronic Transport Records: Retroactive Application
《规定》第六条明确电子运输记录的溯及适用。鉴于该完全新增规定与我国现行单证制度并无冲突，溯及适用也不会违背当事人合理预期、破坏现行法律秩序，故予以溯及适用。
Article 6 provides for retroactive application of electronic transport records. Given that this entirely new provision does not conflict with China’s current document system, and retroactive application would not violate parties’ legitimate expectations or disrupt the current legal order, retroactive application is permitted.
三、实务要点与涉外法律服务建议
Practical Points and Recommendations for Cross-Border Legal Services
（一）合同审查：关注跨期条款
Contract Review: Focus on Transitional Clauses
对于正在履行的涉外航运合同，律师应审查合同中是否涉及船舶抵押权转让、电子提单使用等事项，并根据《规定》判断新旧法的适用。
For ongoing cross-border shipping contracts, lawyers should review whether matters such as ship mortgage transfers or use of electronic bills of lading are involved, and determine the applicable law based on the Provisions.
（二）争议解决：善用溯及规则
Dispute Resolution: Leveraging Retroactivity Rules
《规定》第五条的”有利溯及”规则为当事人提供了新的谈判筹码。若当事人在原合同中已另行约定船舶抵押权不随债权转让，可主张适用新法赋予的更大意思自治空间。
The “favorable retroactivity” rule in Article 5 provides parties with new negotiating leverage. If parties had previously agreed that the ship mortgage would not transfer with the claim, they may argue for application of the new law’s greater scope for party autonomy.
（三）电子提单：合规新机遇
Electronic Bills of Lading: New Compliance Opportunities
新法对电子运输记录的正式认可，为进出口企业使用电子提单提供了明确法律依据。跨境贸易当事人应尽快熟悉相关规则，把握航运数字化的法律机遇。
The Maritime Code’s formal recognition of electronic transport records provides a clear legal basis for import/export enterprises to use electronic bills of lading. Cross-border trading parties should familiarize themselves with the relevant rules and seize the legal opportunities presented by shipping digitalization.
四、结语
Conclusion
此次海商法修订及司法解释的发布，标志着中国海事法律体系迈入新阶段。最高法通过精细的规则设计，在维护法律稳定性与适应社会发展需要之间取得平衡，为涉外海事法律实务提供了清晰指引。跨境航运企业、贸易商及法律从业者应密切关注新法的具体适用，适时调整合同策略与争议解决方案。
The revision of China’s Maritime Code and issuance of the judicial interpretation mark a new stage in China’s maritime legal framework. Through meticulously designed rules, the Supreme People’s Court has achieved a balance between maintaining legal stability and adapting to societal development needs, providing clear guidance for cross-border maritime legal practice. Cross-border shipping companies, traders, and legal practitioners should closely monitor the specific application of the new Code and timely adjust contract strategies and dispute resolution approaches.