Article 137 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 137 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد العمل البحري
If the ship sinks, is confiscated, lost or unfit for navigation, the court may relieve the employer of the seamen's wages if their conduct or failure caused it, and the employer may end the contract without notice or compensation.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا غرقت السفينة, أو صودرت, أو فقدت, أو أصبحت غير صالحة للملاحة؛ جاز للمحكمة أن تأمر بإعفاء صاحب العمل من دفع أجور البحارة كلها أو بعضها إذا ثبت أن ما لحق السفينة من ضرر نشأ عن فعلهم أو تقصيرهم في إنقاذ السفينة أو الركاب أو الشحنة. ولصاحب العمل في هذه الحالة إنهاء عقد العمل البحري دون إبلاغ سابق وبغير تعويض, ما لم ينص في العقد على غير ذلك.
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 137 explained in plain English
This article addresses the case where the ship is destroyed or put out of service because of the seamen themselves.
The cases: the ship sinks, is confiscated, is lost, or becomes unfit for navigation.
First rule: relief from wages. The court may order the employer to be relieved from paying the seamen's wages, in whole or in part, provided it is proven that the damage to the ship arose from their act or their failure to save the ship, the passengers or the cargo. The relief is not automatic; it requires a court order and proof.
Second rule: ending the contract. In this case the employer may end the maritime employment contract without prior notice and without compensation, unless the contract provides otherwise.
Note that both rules depend on proof of the seamen's act or failure. If they had no role, this article does not apply. Article 136 governs force majeure that prevents the voyage, while Article 138 sets the limitation period for claims arising from the maritime employment contract at twelve months from the end of the employment relationship. A seaman who is faced with a claim to be relieved from his wages is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime law.
Practical example
A fishing vessel ran aground and became unfit for navigation, and it was proven that the cause was the negligence of the seamen assigned to the watch. The court may order the employer to be relieved from their wages in whole or in part, and the employer may end their contracts without notice or compensation unless the contracts provide otherwise.
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 137 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Do seamen lose their wages if the ship sinks?
Not automatically. The court may relieve the employer of the wages, in whole or in part, if it is proven that the damage arose from the seamen's act or failure.
Can a seaman's contract be ended without compensation if the ship was lost because of him?
Yes, in this case the employer may end the contract without prior notice and without compensation, unless the contract provides otherwise.
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.