Article 180 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 180 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد النقل البحري : أولاً: أحكام عامة
The sale of the ship does not result in the cancellation of the contract of carriage by sea.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يترتب على بيع السفينة فسخ عقد النقل البحري.
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 180 explained in plain English
This article protects the shipper or the passenger from the effect of the sale of the ship: the sale of the ship does not result in the cancellation of the contract of carriage by sea.
If a person has entered into a contract of carriage by sea and the owner then sells the ship, the contract remains in place and does not end merely because of the sale.
The wisdom behind this is to protect confidence in maritime dealings; a shipper who has arranged its affairs around the carriage of its goods should not be surprised by the end of the contract because of an act that has nothing to do with it.
Note that the article provides only that the sale does not cancel the contract. It does not state who is obliged to perform it after the sale, or how obligations pass between the seller and the buyer.
Under Article 1, a contract of carriage by sea is the contract in which the carrier undertakes to carry goods or persons by sea for a fee. The Law defines the carrier as the person who carries under an agreement with the shipper, whether the owner of the ship, its operator or its charterer.
It is preceded by Article 179, which provides that a contract of carriage by sea can be proved only in writing. It is followed by Article 181, which obliges the carrier to issue a bill of lading at the shipper's request on receiving the goods. Anyone whose ship, on which he contracted for carriage, has been sold is advised to consult a lawyer specialized in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
A company contracted to ship its goods on a particular ship next month, and then learned that the ship's owner had sold it. The contract of carriage by sea is not cancelled because of this sale.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCommercial & Corporate Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Commercial & Corporate Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 180 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Is a sea shipping contract cancelled if the ship is sold?
No, the sale of the ship does not result in the cancellation of the contract of carriage by sea.
Who performs the carriage contract after the ship is sold?
The article provides only that the sale does not cancel the contract, and does not state who is obliged to perform it after the sale.
More articles on Carriage of Goods by Sea and the Bill of Lading
- Article 115
If the master must repair the ship during the voyage, the shipper may wait or take out the goods while paying full freight, with no increase in freight; if repair is not possible, the master hires a substitute ship at his own expense.
1- إذا اضطر الربان إلى إصلاح السفينة أثناء السفر، كان للمستأجر أو الشاحن الخيار بين الانتظار حتى إتمام إصلاح السفينة أو إخراج بضائعه منها، وفي هذه الحالة الأخير
- Article 121
The shipping agent is liable to shippers or consignees for loss of or damage to goods when loaded or unloaded only for the agent's own fault or the fault of those working for the agent.
لا يسأل الوكيل الملاحي من قبل الشاحنين أو المرسل إليهم عن هلاك أو تلف البضائع التي يتسلمها لشحنها في السفينة أو التي يتولى تفريغها منها لتسليمها لأصحابها إلا عن
- Article 122
The cargo agent must preserve the rights of the goods' owners against the carrier; otherwise the agent is presumed to have received the goods in the condition and quantity stated in the bill of lading, unless the contrary is proved by an official record.
يجب على وكيل الشحنة اتخاذ الإجراءات والتدابير اللازمة للمحافظة على حقوق أصحاب الشأن في البضاعة قِبَل الناقل أو متعهد النقل، وإلا افترض أنّ الوكيل تسلم البضاعة ف
- Article 124
The provisions limiting the carrier's liability set out in the Law apply to the transport contractor.
تسري على متعهد النقل أحكام تحديد المسؤولية المتعلقة بالناقل المنصوص عليها في النظام.
- Article 155
The lessor of a fully equipped ship is liable for damage to the goods the lessee places on the ship, unless he proves he fully performed his obligations and the damage did not arise from his fault or that of his subordinates.
يسأل مؤجر السفينة المجهزة عن الضرر الذي يصيب البضائع التي يضعها المستأجر في السفينة, إلا إذا أثبت أنه قام بتنفيذ التزاماته كاملة, وأن الضرر لم ينشأ عن تقصيره أو
- Article 179
A contract of carriage by sea can be proved only in writing.
لا يثبت عقد النقل البحري إلا بالكتابة.
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.