Article 118 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 118 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثالث: الوكيل الملاحي ومتعهد النقل
A claim by the shipping agent or transport contractor against the principal or the employer is brought under the Law of Sharia Procedure, and may be brought before the court of the agent's or contractor's domicile.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تقام دعوى الوكيل الملاحي أو متعهد النقل على الموكل أو صاحب العمل وفق نظام المرافعات الشرعية، ويجوز أن تقام أمام المحكمة التي يقع في نطاق اختصاصها موطن الوكيل أو متعهد النقل.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 118 explained in plain English
This article governs how the shipping agent or transport contractor sues the principal or the employer, for example to claim a fee or what was spent for the principal's account.
- Procedure: the claim is brought under the Law of Sharia Procedure.
- Court: it may be brought before the court in whose jurisdiction the domicile of the agent or transport contractor lies.
The word "may" means this is an additional option for the agent or contractor, who is not obliged to sue in the principal's country or in the port where the work was done. This makes it easier to claim rights, especially if the principal is a foreign shipowner.
Note that the article concerns a claim by the agent or contractor against the principal or employer. For a claim in the opposite direction, Article 119 provides that it is not heard after two years from the date the debt falls due.
Article 117 complements these rules by making the contracts of the shipping agent and transport contractor subject to the laws of the country in which they are carried out. A shipping agent with overdue amounts is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
A shipping agent domiciled in Dammam provided services to a foreign shipowner's ship and was not paid his fees. He may bring his claim before the court in whose jurisdiction his domicile lies, under the Law of Sharia Procedure.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 118 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Where does a shipping agent sue the shipowner?
The agent may sue before the court in whose jurisdiction the agent's domicile lies, under the Law of Sharia Procedure.
Which law governs the procedure of a shipping agent's claim?
The Law of Sharia Procedure.
More articles on Shipping Agent and Carriage Contractor
- Article 117
Contracts and acts carried out by the shipping agent and the transport contractor are governed by the laws of the country in which those contracts or acts are made.
تخضع العقود والأعمال التي يجريها الوكيل الملاحي ومتعهد النقل لأنظمة الدولة التي تُجرى فيها هذه العقود أو الأعمال.
- Article 119
A claim by the principal or employer against the shipping agent or transport contractor is not heard after two years from the date the debt falls due.
لا تسمع دعوى الموكل أو صاحب العمل على الوكيل الملاحي أو متعهد النقل بعد مضي سنتين من تاريخ استحقاق الدين.
- Article 120
The shipping agent remains liable to the shipowner as a paid agent.
يبقى الوكيل الملاحي مسؤولاً أمام المجهز بوصفه وكيلاً بأجر.
- Article 121
The shipping agent is liable to shippers or consignees for loss of or damage to goods when loaded or unloaded only for the agent's own fault or the fault of those working for the agent.
لا يسأل الوكيل الملاحي من قبل الشاحنين أو المرسل إليهم عن هلاك أو تلف البضائع التي يتسلمها لشحنها في السفينة أو التي يتولى تفريغها منها لتسليمها لأصحابها إلا عن
- Article 122
The cargo agent must preserve the rights of the goods' owners against the carrier; otherwise the agent is presumed to have received the goods in the condition and quantity stated in the bill of lading, unless the contrary is proved by an official record.
يجب على وكيل الشحنة اتخاذ الإجراءات والتدابير اللازمة للمحافظة على حقوق أصحاب الشأن في البضاعة قِبَل الناقل أو متعهد النقل، وإلا افترض أنّ الوكيل تسلم البضاعة ف
- Article 123
The transport contractor carries out loading or unloading for the account of the person who engaged him, is answerable only to that person, and is liable for his own fault or the fault of those working for him in this work.
1- يقوم متعهد النقل بالشحن أو التفريغ لحساب من كلفه بالقيام به، ولا يسأل في هذا الشأن إلا قِبَل هذا الشخص الذي يكون له وحده إقامة دعوى عليه. 2- يسأل متعهد النقل
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.