The Carrier may at any time and without notice to the Merchant:
(a) use any means of transport or storage whatsoever;
(b) for any purpose whatsoever tranship the Goods or carry same on a substituted vessel or otherwise transfer the Goods from one conveyance to another even though transhipment or forwarding of the Goods may not have been contemplated or provided for herein;
(c) proceed by any route whether or not such route is the nearest or most direct or customary route from the Port of Loading or Place of Receipt to the Port of Discharge or Place of Delivery in the Carrier's absolute discretion whether for purposes of taking bunkers or any other purpose;
(d) proceed to or stay at any place although in a contrary direction to or out of or beyond the customary or intended or advertised route once or more often in any order for any purpose whatsoever;
(e) load and unload the Goods at any port or place (whether or not any such port is named on the face of this Bill of Lading as the Port of Loading or Port of Discharge) and store the Goods at any such place;
(f) comply with any orders, directions, or recommendations as to loading, unloading, departure, routes, ports and places of call, stoppages, destination, arrival, discharge, delivery or otherwise given by any government or authority or any person or body acting or purporting to act with the authority of such government or authority or having under the terms of the insurance on the conveyance employed by the Carrier the right to give directions; and
(g) at the request of the Merchant or otherwise if required to make arrangements for any forwarding conveyance and services, not within the scope of the transport herein contracted for, and in making such arrangements, the Carrier shall be considered solely as agent of the Merchant and without any other responsibility whatsoever. Any action taken or not taken by the Carrier under this Clause 18, or delay resulting therefrom, shall be deemed to be included within the contractual transit and shall not be a deviation.