Section 444.

It shall be understood and agreed, and shall be the essence of an agreement under which services of the pilot are tendered to and are accepted by owners, agents, charterers, or operators, as follows:

(a) The vessel requesting pilotage services and its owners, agents, charterers, and operators covenant and agree not to assert a claim against the pilot, the pilot's employer, or other employees of the pilot's employer for damages, including any rights over, arising out of, or connected with, directly or indirectly, any damage, loss, or expense sustained by the vessel, its owners, agents, charterers, operators, or crew, and by any third parties, even though resulting in whole or in part from acts, omissions, or negligence of the pilot, the pilot's employer, or other employees of the pilot's employer. The vessel and its owners, agents, charterers, and operators further covenant and agree, subject to any limitation of liability to which they are entitled by reason of any contract, bill of lading, statute, or other provision of law in force, to indemnify and hold harmless the pilot, the pilot's employer, and other employees of the pilot's employer with respect to liability arising from any and all claims, suits, or actions, by whomsoever asserted, resulting in whole or in part from acts, omissions, or negligence of the pilot, the pilot's employer, or other employees of the pilot's employer. These covenants and agreements do not apply to liability and rights that may arise from the willful misconduct or gross negligence of the pilot, the pilot's employer, or other employees of the pilot's employer.

(b) If any vessel on whose behalf pilotage services are requested is not owned by the person or entity ordering the services, that person or entity warrants its authority to bind the vessel and its owners, charterers, and operators to all the provisions contained in subdivision (a), and that person and entity agree to indemnify and hold harmless the pilot, the pilot's employer, and other employees of the pilot's employer with respect to all losses, damages, and expenses that may be suffered or incurred in consequence of the person or entity not having that authority.

(c) Pilotage services are voluntarily requested and are voluntarily rendered in reliance upon the terms specified in subdivisions (a) and (b).

(d) This article does not affect the rights of third parties against a vessel, its master, owners, agents, charterers, or operators, or a pilot, the pilot's employer, or other employees of a pilot's employer.

(e) This article does not preclude any pilot or pilot's employer from entering into contracts with the owners, agents, charterers, or operators of a vessel that contain additional pilotage terms and conditions.

(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 538, Sec. 343. Effective January 1, 2007.)