Article 158 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 158 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثالث: إيجار السفينة المجهزة
A time charter of a fully equipped ship must state the names and addresses of both parties, the ship's name, nationality, tonnage, class and description, the rent or how it is calculated, and the charter period.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يذكر في عقد إيجار السفينة المجهزة المحدد بالمدة ما يأتي:
1- اسم المؤجر والمستأجر، وعنوان كل منهما.
2- اسم السفينة, وجنسيتها, وحمولتها، ودرجتها، وغيرها من الأوصاف اللازمة لتعيينها.
3- مقدار الأجرة أو طريقة حسابها.
4- مدة الإيجار.
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 158 explained in plain English
This article specifies the particulars to be stated in a time charter of a fully equipped ship, that is, a charter for a period of time rather than a particular voyage:
- The names of the lessor and the lessee, and the address of each.
- The name of the ship, its nationality, tonnage and class, and other descriptions necessary to identify it.
- The amount of the rent or how it is calculated.
- The charter period.
The purpose of these particulars is for the contract to be clear in identifying its parties, the specific ship chartered, the consideration and the period; these are the essential elements on which this type of charter rests.
Note that the article allows the rent to be fixed either as a set amount or by a method of calculation, such as daily or monthly.
This article comes after Article 157, which sets the period for hearing claims arising from a fully equipped ship charter at two years and states when it starts. It is followed by Article 159, which obliges the lessor to place the ship at the lessee's disposal at the agreed time and place, seaworthy and equipped, and to keep it so throughout the term of the contract. When drafting a fully equipped ship charter, consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law.
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 158 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What particulars are required in a time charter of a fully equipped ship?
The names and addresses of the lessor and lessee, the ship's name, nationality, tonnage, class and description, the amount of the rent or how it is calculated, and the charter period.
Must the rent be stated as a fixed amount?
The article allows stating the amount of the rent or how it is calculated.
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.