Article 170 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 170 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثالث: إيجار السفينة المجهزة
The owner of a fully equipped chartered ship may not load goods not belonging to the charterer in the chartered part without its permission; the charterer may claim their freight plus compensation, and the lessor has a privilege over them to secure the freight.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لا يجوز لمالك السفينة المجهزة المؤجرة كليًّا أو جزئيًّا, أن يشحن في تلك السفينة أو في الجزء المؤجر منها, أي بضاعة لا تخص المستأجر دون إذن منه, ويكون للمستأجر الحق في المطالبة بأجرة البضاعة المشحونة دون إذنه, وذلك دون الإخلال بأي تعويض آخر.
2- للمؤجر حق امتياز على البضاعة المشار إليها في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة ضمانًا لدين الأجرة وملحقاتها.
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 170 explained in plain English
This article protects the charterer's right to use the ship or the chartered part of it.
First: the prohibition. The owner of a fully equipped chartered ship, whether chartered wholly or in part, may not load in the ship or in the chartered part of it any goods not belonging to the charterer without its permission.
Second: the charterer's right. If the owner violates this, the charterer is entitled to:
- Claim the freight for the goods loaded without its permission.
- This is without prejudice to any other compensation.
The charterer holds the right to the chartered space, so if the owner uses it for its own account, the freight that results belongs to the charterer.
Third: the lessor's privilege. The second paragraph provides that the lessor has a privilege over these goods to secure the debt of the freight and its accessories. The article does not set out the details of this privilege.
It is preceded by Article 169, which obliges the charterer to pay the full freight even if it did not load all the agreed goods. It is followed by Article 171, which provides that the charter is dissolved without compensation if force majeure makes the voyage impossible or trade is prohibited with the country of one of the loading or discharge ports. A charterer who discovers other people's goods in the chartered space is advised to consult a lawyer specialized in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
A company chartered a fully equipped ship to carry its goods, and the owner loaded containers for another customer without the company's permission. The company is entitled to claim the freight for carrying those containers, in addition to any other compensation.
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 170 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
May the ship's owner load other people's goods on the ship I have chartered?
He may not do so in the ship or the chartered part of it without your permission.
What is the charterer entitled to if the owner loads goods without its permission?
To claim the freight for the goods loaded without its permission, without prejudice to any other compensation.
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.