Article 123 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 123 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثالث: الوكيل الملاحي ومتعهد النقل
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 عن الأعمال التي يتولاها طبقاً للفقرة (1) من هذه المادة عن خطئه أو خطأ تابعيه.
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 123 explained in plain English
This article governs the role of the transport contractor in loading and unloading operations and his liability for them.
First: for whose account does he work? The transport contractor carries out loading or unloading for the account of the person who engaged him to do so.
Second: to whom is he answerable? He is answerable in this matter only to the person who engaged him, and only that person may bring a claim against him. No one else, such as a goods owner who did not contract with him, can sue him under this article.
Third: basis of liability. The transport contractor is liable for the work he undertakes for his own fault or the fault of those working for him.
Article 1 defines the transport contractor as a person who carries on the business of carrying goods by sea under a single contract of carriage and a single transport document, acting as a principal. Article 124 complements this provision by applying to the transport contractor the provisions limiting the carrier's liability set out in the Law. Anyone whose goods were damaged during loading or unloading should find out who engaged the contractor, and is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
A sea carrier engages a transport contractor to unload containers in the port of Jeddah, and one is damaged through the fault of the contractor's workers. The claim against the contractor over this work is brought by the carrier who engaged him, since he is answerable only to the carrier.
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 123 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Who may sue the transport contractor over loading and unloading?
Only the person who engaged the contractor to do the work.
When is the transport contractor liable?
The contractor is liable for the work he undertakes for his own fault or the fault of those working for him.
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 118
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.
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
- 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
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.