Article 133 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 133 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد العمل البحري
If a maritime employment contract ends during the voyage it continues until the ship reaches the first port in the Kingdom, unless it first calls at the port to which the seafarer must be returned, when it continues until the ship anchors there.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا أبرم عقد العمل البحري لمدة محددة, وانتهت هذه المدة أثناء الرحلة امتد العقد حتى وصول السفينة إلى أول ميناء بالمملكة، فإذا مرت السفينة -قبل دخولها أحد موانئ المملكة-بالميناء الذي تجب إعادة البحّار إليه؛ فلا يمتد العقد إلا إلى وقت رسو السفينة في هذا الميناء.
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 133 explained in plain English
This article addresses the case of a fixed-term maritime employment contract whose term ends while the ship is at sea. The seafarer is not left without a contract in the middle of the voyage; instead:
- The rule: the contract continues until the ship reaches the first port in the Kingdom.
- The exception: if, before entering any of the Kingdom's ports, the ship calls at the port to which the seafarer must be returned, the contract continues only until the ship anchors at that port.
The reasoning is that the end of a contract at sea puts the seafarer in a difficult position, so the contract continues, keeping him protected by its terms until he reaches a suitable place to end his relationship with the ship.
The article does not state how the port to which the seafarer must be returned is determined, so the contract and what governs it are consulted. Article 132 addresses the employer's obligations if a seafarer dies in the ship's service, and Article 134 the reward for his heirs if he dies defending the ship, its cargo or its passengers. A seafarer whose contract ended during the voyage and who has a dispute with the employer is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime law.
Practical example
A seafarer's contract term ends while the ship is on its way from India to Dammam. His contract continues until the ship arrives at Dammam, as the first port in the Kingdom, unless it first calls at the port to which he must be returned.
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 133 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What happens if my maritime contract ends while the ship is at sea?
The contract continues until the ship reaches the first port in the Kingdom.
When does the contract end before reaching the Kingdom?
If the ship, before entering any of the Kingdom's ports, calls at the port to which the seafarer must be returned, the contract continues only until it anchors there.
More articles on Maritime Employment Contract and Seafarer Rights
- Article 56
The article provides that giving the master and crew an advance or a payment on account does not make their debts referred to in paragraph (2) of Article 46 payable before their due date.
لا يترتب على تسليم الربان والبحارة وغيرهم ممن يرتبطون بعقد عمل في السفينة مبلغاً مقدماً أو على الحساب اعتبار ديونهم المشار إليها في الفقرة (2) من المادة (السادس
- Article 91
If a ship is sold compulsorily as a result of its attachment, the person to whom the auction is awarded is not bound by the employment contracts of the master or the seamen working on it.
إذا بيعت السفينة جبراً نتيجة الحجز عليها فلا يلتزم من رسا عليه المزاد بعقود عمل ربان السفينة أو البحارة الذين يعملون عليها.
- Article 114
The master and seafarers may not load goods for their own account without the shipowner's permission; a violator pays double the freight, and the master may throw the goods overboard if they endanger safety or entail fines or expenses.
لا يجوز للربان أو لأحد البحارة شحن بضاعة في السفينة لحسابه الخاص إلا بإذن من المجهز، ويترتب على مخالفة هذا الحظر إلزام المخالف بأن يدفع للمجهز ضعف أجرة نقل البض
- Article 125
The maritime employment contract provisions apply to those working on ships on international voyages, and a Saudi may not work on ships sailing outside the Kingdom's maritime areas without a maritime service record from the Authority.
1- تسري أحكام عقد العمل البحري الواردة في النظام على الأشخاص الذين يعملون على السفن التي تقوم برحلات دولية. 2- لا يجوز لمن يحملون الجنسية السعودية أن يقوموا بأي
- Article 126
The employer must pay seafarers' wages at the time and place specified in the contract, or those required by maritime custom.
يلتزم صاحب العمل بأداء أجور البحارة في الزمان والمكان المحددين في العقد، أو اللذين يقضي بهما العرف البحري.
- Article 127
A seafarer's voyage wage is not reduced if the shipowner or master shortens the voyage, and increases in proportion to the extension if they lengthen or postpone it, with no increase for the master where it was his fault.
إذا كان الأجر معيناً بالرحلة فلا يجوز تخفيضه في حالة تقصير السفر بفعل المجهز أو الربان، أما إذا نشأ عن الفعل المذكور إطالة السفر أو تأجيله فيزداد الأجر بنسبة ام
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.