Article 154 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 154 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: إيجار السفينة غير المجهزة
A claim arising from a bareboat ship charter is not heard after two years from the date the ship is returned to the lessor, or from its removal from the ship register if it is lost.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا تسمع الدعوى الناشئة عن عقد إيجار السفينة غير المجهزة بعد مضي سنتين من تاريخ ردها إلى المؤجر، أو من تاريخ شطبها من سجل السفن في حالة هلاكها.
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 154 explained in plain English
This article sets the period for hearing claims arising from a bareboat ship charter:
- The period: two years.
- Its start:
- from the date the ship is returned to the lessor, or
- from the date it is removed from the ship register if it is lost.
After this period the claim is not heard.
The article covers claims arising from this contract by either party, whether the lessor wishes to claim rent or compensation for the condition of the returned ship, or the lessee wishes to claim a right of his own.
Tying the start of the period to the return of the ship is logical, since that is when the lessor can inspect it and learn its condition. If the ship is lost there is no return, so the period starts from its removal from the ship register, which under Article 1 is the official register in which the particulars of ships and their owners are recorded.
It follows Article 153, under which the lessee guarantees third-party rights against the lessor arising from his operation of the ship. Parties to the contract are advised to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law before the period expires.
Practical example
The lessee of a bareboat ship returned it to its owner on 1 February 2025, and the owner then discovered damage that he believes went beyond ordinary wear. He must file his claim before 1 February 2027, 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 154 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What is the time limit for a claim arising from a bareboat ship charter?
Two years from the date the ship is returned to the lessor, or from its removal from the ship register if it is lost.
When does the period start if the chartered ship sinks?
From the date it is removed from the ship register.
More articles on Ship Charter
- Article 20
The article permits registering a chartered foreign bareboat ship at the Kingdom's registration offices if the charterer meets the registration conditions, and creates a special temporary register for such ships.
1- تسجل السفينة الأجنبية غير المجهزة -لسفرة أو لرحلة واحدة أو لعدد من الرحلات والسفرات أو لمدة محددة- التي يستأجرها من تتوافر لديه شروط التسجيل بأي مكتب من مكات
- Article 21
The article subjects a chartered foreign bareboat ship registered in the Kingdom to the Kingdom's laws, with the charterer taking the owner's place in the law's obligations and penalties for the whole charter period.
تطبق على السفينة الأجنبية المستأجرة غير المجهزة المسجلة في المملكة، الأنظمة المعمول بها في المملكة، ويحل المستأجر طوال مدة الإيجار محل المالك فيما يتعلق بالالتز
- Article 22
The article requires the charterer of a ship that is not fitted out to apply to cancel its register and return the temporary registration certificate within fifteen days of the end of the charter contract.
يلتزم المستأجر بتقديم طلب شطب سجل السفينة المستأجرة غير المجهزة، وإعادة شهادة التسجيل المؤقتة الخاصة بها خلال خمسة عشر يوماً من تاريخ انتهاء عقد الإيجار.
- Article 23
The article requires the owner of a Saudi ship not fitted out, chartered to a foreigner, to notify the registration office fifteen days before the contract takes effect; registration is suspended or cancelled temporarily and the Kingdom's flag may not be flown during the charter.
في حالة تأجير سفينة سعودية غير مجهزة لأجنبي، فعلى مالكها إبلاغ مكتب التسجيل المسجلة فيه السفينة قبل سريان عقد الإيجار بخمسة عشر يوماً على الأقل، وعلى مكتب التسج
- Article 77
If the charterer manages the ship's navigation and alone is liable for the maritime debt, the ship or the charterer's other ships may be attached, but not the other ships of the lessor-owner.
1- إذا كان مستأجر السفينة يتولى إدارتها الملاحية، وكان وحده مسؤولاً عن أي دين بحري متعلق بها، جاز للدائن توقيع الحجز على هذه السفينة أو على أي سفينة أخرى مملوكة
- Article 142
A ship charter contract can be proven only in writing and must state the ship, the parties, loading and unloading, the rent and compensation and the type of charter, and a sale of the ship does not end the charter.
1- لا يثبت عقد إيجار السفينة إلا بالكتابة, ويجب أن يكون متضمناً اسم السفينة, ومقدار حمولتها, ودرجتها, والدولة التابعة لها، واسم المؤجر والمستأجر، والمكان والزما
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.