Terms & Conditions of Use

1Introduction & Acceptance

1.1These Terms & Conditions of Use (the "Terms") govern access to and use of the Stagie Freight Services Client Portal at app.stagiefreightservices.com, including its progressive web application and all related features (the "Portal"), operated by Stagie Freight Limited, a company incorporated in Malawi under registration number [Company Registration No.], trading as Stagie Freight Services ("Stagie Freight", "we", "us" or "our").

1.2The Portal has been established to give our clients a secure, efficient and transparent way to monitor shipments, view duty charges and invoices, submit proof of payment, request sourcing quotations and communicate with us, reducing delays and paperwork.

1.3By ticking the acceptance box at registration, creating an account, or accessing or using the Portal, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not register for or use the Portal.

2Definitions

In these Terms, unless the context requires otherwise:

• "Account" means the client account created on the Portal, together with any user logins associated with it;
• "Authorised User" means an individual permitted by the Client to access the Account;
• "Client" or "you" means the business, organisation or individual in whose name the Account is registered and, where the context allows, each Authorised User acting on its behalf;
• "Content" means any information, data, documents, images or files uploaded or submitted to the Portal;
• "Freight Services" means the customs clearing, freight forwarding, transport, haulage, warehousing, sourcing and related services provided by Stagie Freight;
• "Proof of Payment" means any bank deposit slip, transfer confirmation, mobile-money receipt or other evidence of payment uploaded to the Portal;
• "Quotation" means a price estimate issued by Stagie Freight in response to a sourcing or service request; and
• "Working Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday in Malawi.

3Eligibility & Authority

3.1The Portal is intended for existing or prospective clients of Stagie Freight and their authorised representatives. You must be at least 18 years old and have legal capacity to enter into binding contracts.

3.2If you register or act on behalf of a company or other organisation, you represent and warrant that you are authorised to bind that organisation to these Terms, and references to "you" include that organisation.

3.3The Client is responsible for adding and removing its Authorised Users and for ensuring that each of them complies with these Terms. The Client is bound by the acts and omissions of its Authorised Users.

4Registration & Verification

4.1To register you must provide accurate, current and complete information, including your company name, registration or TIN number where applicable, contact person, email address and a valid mobile number capable of receiving WhatsApp or SMS messages.

4.2We may verify your identity and contact details by one-time code sent via WhatsApp, SMS or email, and may request supporting documents (such as a certificate of incorporation or TPIN certificate) before activating or continuing an Account.

4.3We may refuse a registration, or limit the features available to an Account, at our reasonable discretion, including where information cannot be verified.

4.4You must promptly update your Account details if they change. We are not responsible for notices or messages that fail to reach you because your details are out of date.

5Account Security

5.1You are responsible for keeping your password, one-time codes and devices secure, and must not share your login credentials with anyone. Each Authorised User should have their own login.

5.2Any activity carried out through your Account using valid credentials will be treated as authorised by you, unless you have notified us of a suspected compromise before that activity took place.

5.3You must notify us immediately at support@stagiefreightservices.com if you suspect any unauthorised access to or use of your Account. We may suspend the Account while we investigate.

6Portal Services

Subject to these Terms, the Portal may allow you to:

• view and monitor the status of your shipments and containers;
• access duty charge statements, invoices and account history;
• upload Proof of Payment for verification;
• request sourcing Quotations for goods from international suppliers;
• raise and track support tickets; and
• receive notifications about shipments, charges, payments and your Account.

Features may vary between Accounts and may be added, changed or withdrawn in accordance with Section 20.

7Relationship to Freight Services

7.1The Portal is a communication and information tool. The Freight Services themselves are governed by Stagie Freight's Standard Trading Conditions and any written agreement, Quotation or job instruction applicable to the particular shipment (together, the "Service Terms").

7.2If there is any conflict between these Terms and the Service Terms regarding the performance of Freight Services, liability for goods, or charges for those services, the Service Terms prevail. These Terms prevail in all matters concerning use of the Portal itself.

7.3Stagie Freight acts as a clearing and forwarding agent and is not a carrier unless expressly agreed in writing. Carriers, shipping lines, airlines, warehouses and other third parties involved in moving your goods operate under their own terms.

8Your Obligations

You agree that you will:

• provide true, accurate and complete information and documents, including descriptions, quantities, values, tariff information and origin of goods;
• ensure that goods you ship or ask us to source are lawful to import, export or transit, and that you hold any required permits, licences or certificates;
• comply with all applicable laws, including customs, excise, tax, import control, sanctions and anti-money-laundering laws;
• review information displayed in the Portal regularly and report any error or discrepancy to us promptly; and
• pay all charges due to Stagie Freight on time and in accordance with the applicable invoice or Service Terms.

9Prohibited Conduct

You must not, and must not permit anyone else to:

• access or attempt to access another client's Account or any data you are not authorised to view;
• upload false, forged, altered, duplicated or misleading documents, including Proof of Payment;
• use the Portal for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose, including smuggling, under-declaration, money laundering or the financing of unlawful activity;
• upload viruses, malware or any code intended to damage, disrupt or gain unauthorised access to any system;
• probe, scan or test the vulnerability of the Portal, or circumvent any security, authentication or rate-limiting measure;
• use bots, scrapers or other automated tools to access or extract data from the Portal, other than through an interface we expressly provide;
• copy, modify, reverse-engineer, decompile or create derivative works of the Portal;
• resell, sublicense or provide access to the Portal to any third party; or
• harass, abuse or threaten our staff through the Portal's messaging or ticketing functions.

Breach of this Section may result in immediate suspension or termination under Section 24 and, where appropriate, referral to the Malawi Police Service or other competent authorities, including under the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act, 2016.

10Shipment Information

10.1Shipment status, location, estimated times of arrival and similar information shown in the Portal are provided for information and planning purposes. Much of this information comes from carriers, ports, authorities and other third parties, and may be delayed, incomplete or subject to change.

10.2Estimated dates are not guaranteed. Unless expressly agreed in writing, Stagie Freight does not undertake that goods will arrive, clear or be delivered by any particular date.

10.3Where information in the Portal differs from an original document issued by a carrier or authority, the original document prevails.

11Duty, Taxes & Charges

11.1Duty charge statements and estimates displayed in the Portal are based on the information available to us at the time. The final duties, taxes and levies payable are determined by the Malawi Revenue Authority and other competent authorities, whose assessment is final as between you and us.

11.2Amounts may change as a result of customs valuation or reclassification, changes in law or tariff, exchange rate movements, storage, demurrage, detention or other charges incurred after the statement was issued. You remain liable for the amounts finally assessed and properly incurred.

11.3Unless stated otherwise, amounts are shown in Malawi Kwacha. Where charges are incurred in foreign currency, conversion will be made at the rate applied by the relevant authority or, otherwise, at our prevailing rate on the date of invoicing.

11.4Any query regarding a charge must be raised in writing, through the Portal or by email, within seven (7) Working Days of the charge first appearing in your Account. Raising a query does not suspend payment of undisputed amounts.

12Payments & Proof of Payment

12.1Payments must be made only to the bank or mobile-money accounts shown on Stagie Freight's official invoices or in the Portal. We will never change our payment details by email, WhatsApp or telephone alone. If you receive a request to pay into different account details, verify it with us through a known contact before paying. We are not liable for payments made to accounts not belonging to Stagie Freight.

12.2Uploading Proof of Payment notifies us that a payment has been made; it does not constitute confirmation of receipt. A payment is treated as received only when the funds have been verified by our finance department as cleared in our account.

12.3The Portal applies automated checks to detect duplicate or altered documents. A flagged document will be reviewed by our staff before any final decision is made. We may request the original document or additional evidence.

12.4Release of cargo, documents or delivery orders may be withheld until all amounts due on the relevant shipment, and where applicable any overdue amounts on your Account, have been received in cleared funds, subject to the Service Terms and applicable law.

12.5Submission of a fraudulent, altered, duplicated or misleading Proof of Payment is a serious breach of these Terms and may result in:

• immediate suspension or termination of your Account;
• withholding of cargo release until full payment is received in cleared funds;
• recovery of all losses, costs and charges incurred, including legal costs; and
• reporting to the police, financial institutions and other competent authorities.

12.6Bank charges, transfer fees and mobile-money charges are for your account unless otherwise agreed. Late payment may attract interest or charges as set out in the Service Terms or on the relevant invoice.

13Sourcing Quotations

13.1Quotations are prepared on the basis of the information you provide and are subject to supplier availability, market prices, freight rates, exchange rates, duties and taxes at the time of order.

13.2Unless stated otherwise, a Quotation is valid for the period shown on it, or seven (7) days if no period is shown, after which it lapses and may be revised.

13.3A Quotation is an invitation to do business and does not create a binding contract. A contract for sourcing is formed only when you accept the Quotation and Stagie Freight confirms the order in writing (including through the Portal), and any required deposit has been received.

13.4Goods are manufactured and supplied by third-party suppliers. Unless expressly agreed in writing, Stagie Freight does not give any warranty as to the quality, specification or fitness for purpose of goods supplied by third parties, but will use reasonable efforts to assist you in pursuing any claim against the supplier.

14Communications & Notices

14.1By registering, you consent to receive service-related communications by WhatsApp, SMS, email, in-Portal notification or other official channels, including verification codes, shipment updates, duty charge notices, payment confirmations, operational announcements and service advisories. These communications are an essential part of the service.

14.2Marketing messages will only be sent in accordance with our Privacy Policy, and you may opt out of them at any time.

14.3A notice given by us through the Portal or to the email address or mobile number registered on your Account is deemed received at the time of sending, if sent on a Working Day during business hours, and otherwise at 08:00 on the next Working Day.

14.4Formal legal notices to Stagie Freight must be sent in writing to the address or email in Section 29.

15Electronic Transactions & Records

15.1You agree that these Terms may be accepted electronically and that electronic acceptance, instructions, approvals and communications given through the Portal have the same legal effect as if made in writing and signed, in accordance with the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act, 2016.

15.2Our electronic records, including system logs, timestamps and stored documents, will, in the absence of manifest error, be evidence of the transactions and communications they record.

16Your Content

16.1You retain ownership of the Content you upload. You grant Stagie Freight a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to store, copy, process and share that Content as reasonably necessary to provide the Portal and the Freight Services, to comply with law, and as described in our Privacy Policy.

16.2You warrant that you have the right to upload the Content, that it is accurate and genuine, and that it does not infringe any third party's rights or contain malicious code.

16.3Uploaded files must be in a supported format and within the size limits shown in the Portal. We may remove Content that breaches these Terms.

17Intellectual Property

17.1The Portal, including its software, design, layout, text, graphics, logos and trade names, is owned by or licensed to Stagie Freight and is protected by the Copyright Act and other intellectual property laws of Malawi and international treaties.

17.2We grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable licence to use the Portal for your internal business purposes in accordance with these Terms. No other rights are granted, and all rights not expressly granted are reserved.

18Privacy & Data Protection

18.1We process personal data in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 2024 and our Privacy Policy, which explains what we collect, why, who we share it with, how long we keep it, and your rights.

18.2We do not sell client data. Information may be disclosed to customs and tax authorities, carriers and logistics partners, financial institutions verifying transactions, our service providers, and regulators or law-enforcement bodies where required by law.

18.3Where you provide personal data about others (such as your staff, consignees or suppliers), you are responsible for having a lawful basis to do so and for informing them of our Privacy Policy.

19Third-Party Services

The Portal relies on, and may link to, services provided by third parties, such as the WhatsApp Business Platform, SMS and email providers, Google reCAPTCHA, hosting providers and carrier tracking websites. Your use of those services may be subject to their own terms. We are not responsible for the availability, content or practices of third-party services, but we choose our service providers with care.

20Availability & Changes to the Portal

20.1We will use reasonable efforts to keep the Portal available, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access. The Portal may be unavailable due to scheduled maintenance, upgrades, network or power failures, or other circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

20.2We will try to give advance notice of planned maintenance where practical. If the Portal is unavailable, you may continue to contact us by email, telephone or at our offices.

20.3We may modify, add or remove features of the Portal from time to time to improve it, for security reasons, or to comply with law.

21Disclaimers

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Portal and all information in it are provided "as is" and "as available". Stagie Freight makes no warranty, express or implied, that the Portal will meet your requirements, be uninterrupted, secure or free from errors or harmful components, or that information displayed (including shipment status and estimated charges) is complete, accurate or current at all times.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any rights you have that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

22Limitation of Liability

22.1To the fullest extent permitted by law, Stagie Freight, its directors, employees and agents shall not be liable, whether in contract, delict (including negligence) or otherwise, for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss, or for any loss of profit, revenue, business, goodwill or anticipated savings, arising out of or in connection with the use of, or inability to use, the Portal.

22.2Stagie Freight's total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the Portal shall not exceed the fees paid by you to Stagie Freight for the specific service giving rise to the claim during the three (3) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.

22.3Liability for loss of, damage to or delay of goods, and for the performance of Freight Services, is governed exclusively by the Service Terms and not by this Section.

22.4Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot be limited or excluded under the laws of Malawi.

23Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Stagie Freight, its directors, employees and agents against all claims, losses, liabilities, fines, penalties, damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: (a) your breach of these Terms; (b) any inaccurate, false or misleading information or document provided by you or your Authorised Users; (c) your violation of any law or the rights of a third party; or (d) any unauthorised use of your Account resulting from your failure to keep your credentials secure.

24Suspension & Termination

24.1We may suspend, restrict or terminate your access to the Portal, with or without notice, where:

• you breach these Terms or the Service Terms;
• we reasonably suspect fraud, misuse or unauthorised access;
• you have provided false or misleading information;
• amounts due to us remain unpaid beyond the agreed terms;
• continued access poses a security, legal or operational risk; or
• we are required to do so by law or a competent authority.

24.2Where reasonably practicable and lawful, we will tell you the reason for a suspension and give you an opportunity to respond.

24.3You may close your Account at any time by contacting us, subject to settlement of all outstanding amounts.

24.4Suspension or termination of Portal access does not affect any ongoing shipment, which will be handled under the Service Terms, or any rights and obligations accrued before termination. Sections 8, 11, 12, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 27 and 28 survive termination.

25Force Majeure

Stagie Freight shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations in relation to the Portal caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including acts of God, flood, fire, epidemic, war, civil unrest, strikes, government action, failure of power or telecommunications networks, failure of third-party hosting or messaging services, or cyber-attacks despite reasonable security measures.

26Amendments

26.1We may amend these Terms from time to time to reflect operational, legal, regulatory or technological changes. The updated Terms will be published on the Portal with a new effective date.

26.2For material changes, we will give you at least fourteen (14) days' notice through the Portal, by email or by WhatsApp before the changes take effect, unless a shorter period is required by law or for security reasons.

26.3Your continued use of the Portal after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the amended Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Portal and may close your Account.

27Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

27.1These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Malawi.

27.2The parties shall first attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the Portal by negotiation. Either party may initiate this by written notice describing the dispute. Senior representatives of both parties shall meet or confer within fourteen (14) days of the notice.

27.3If the dispute is not resolved within thirty (30) days of the notice, either party may refer it to the competent courts of Malawi, to whose exclusive jurisdiction the parties submit.

27.4Nothing in this Section prevents either party from seeking urgent interim relief from a court, or prevents Stagie Freight from taking action to recover undisputed debts.

28General Provisions

• Entire agreement. These Terms, the Privacy Policy and the Service Terms together form the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Portal.
• Severability. If any provision is found invalid or unenforceable, it will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining provisions will continue in full force.
• No waiver. A failure or delay in exercising any right is not a waiver of that right.
• Assignment. You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations to an affiliate or successor business.
• No partnership. Nothing in these Terms creates a partnership, joint venture or employment relationship.
• Language. These Terms are written in English, which prevails over any translation.
• Headings. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

29Contact Information

For assistance, account enquiries, formal notices or questions about these Terms, please contact: