Article 138 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 138 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد العمل البحري
A claim arising from the maritime employment contract is not heard after twelve months from the date the employment relationship ends.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا تسمع الدعوى الناشئة عن عقد العمل البحري بعد مضي اثني عشر شهراً من تاريخ انتهاء علاقة العمل.
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 138 explained in plain English
This article sets the period for hearing claims arising from the maritime employment contract:
- The period: twelve months.
- Its start: from the date the employment relationship ends.
- The effect: once it has passed, the claim is not heard.
The article is general in scope. It covers claims arising from the maritime employment contract, whether brought by the seaman against the employer, such as a claim for wages or entitlements, or brought by the employer against the seaman.
Note that the period runs from the end of the employment relationship, not from the due date of each wage. A seaman who is still working has no running period against him.
This article sits within the provisions on the maritime employment contract. It relates to Article 137, which allows the court to relieve the employer of wages in certain cases, and to Article 139, which requires insurance for the crew before Saudi ships are permitted to sail to war and piracy zones. A seaman whose employment has ended and who is owed entitlements is advised to act promptly and consult a lawyer specializing in maritime law before the period expires.
Practical example
A seaman's employment with a shipping company in Jeddah ended on 1 March 2025, and he is owed back wages. He must file his claim before 1 March 2026, otherwise it will not be heard.
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 138 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What is the time limit for a seaman to sue his employer?
Twelve months from the date the employment relationship ends.
When does the period for hearing a maritime employment claim begin?
From the date the employment relationship ends.
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.