Article 19 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 19 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثالث: تسجيل السفينة
The article makes in rem suits relating to the ship fall within the competent court in whose jurisdiction the ship's registration office is located.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تقام الدعاوى العينية المتعلقة بالسفينة أمام المحكمة المختصة التي يقع مكتب تسجيل السفينة في نطاق اختصاصها.
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 19 explained in plain English
This article determines the court with territorial jurisdiction over a particular type of suit: in rem suits relating to the ship.
What is an in rem suit? It is a suit concerning a right in the ship itself, such as a dispute over its ownership or over a right registered against it, as opposed to a personal suit brought against a person to claim a debt or an obligation.
The competent court: the competent court in whose jurisdiction the ship's registration office is located.
In practical terms, a person who wants to bring an in rem suit relating to a ship looks to its registration office to find the competent court, and cannot file it wherever they choose. If the ship is registered at a registration office at the port of Jeddah, for example, an in rem suit about it is filed before the competent court within that office's jurisdiction.
The article does not cover personal suits against the ship's owner or operator, nor does it determine the type of court by subject matter. It is connected to the registration provisions, such as Article 18 on cancelling registration, one ground for which may be a court judgment. A person with a dispute concerning a ship can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases.
Practical example
A merchant claims ownership of a share in a ship registered at the registration office at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. His in rem suit is filed before the competent court in whose jurisdiction that office is located.
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 19 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Where are suits relating to a ship filed?
In rem suits relating to the ship are filed before the competent court in whose jurisdiction the ship's registration office is located.
Does the article cover all maritime suits?
No. The article applies only to in rem suits relating to the ship.
More articles on Registration of Ships and Maritime Units
- Article 7
Article 7 bars a self-propelled ship from sailing under the Kingdom's flag without registration, refers the procedures to the regulations, and exempts specific vessels by length, tonnage and type.
1- لا يجوز لأي سفينة ذاتية الدفع أن تبحر رافعة علم المملكة إلاَّ إذا كانت مسجلة وفقاً لأحكام هذا النظام, وتحدد اللوائح إجراءات التسجيل وشروطه, وإصدار الشهادة. 2
- Article 8
Article 8 regulates ship registration offices approved by the Chairman, the ship register and its entries, the registration record and its publication and announcement at the owner's expense, and registration fees.
1- تسجل السفن في مكاتب التسجيل المعتمدة بقرار من الرئيس في أيٍّ من موانئ المملكة. 2- ينشأ في كل مكتب من مكاتب التسجيل سجل خاص يسمى (سجل السفن)، ترقم صفحاته، وتخ
- Article 9
Article 9 bars a ship from sailing under the flag of more than one state, registering a ship already registered in another state before its deletion, and changing flag while sailing or stopped except for a transfer of ownership or registration change.
1- لا يجوز للسفينة أن تبحر، وهي رافعة علم أكثر من دولة. 2- لا يجوز أن تسجل سفينة في سجل السفن إذا كانت مسجلة في سجل سفن دولة أخرى، ما لم تكن قد شطبت من ذلك السج
- Article 10
Article 10 requires, for a ship to be registered, that the Authority or a delegated approved classification society inspect, survey and measure it and assess its tonnage, after the ownership document is submitted.
يشترط لتسجيل السفينة فحصها ومعاينتها وقياسها وتقدير حمولتها من قبل الهيئة أو من تفوضه من إحدى هيئات التصنيف المحلية أو الدولية المعتمدة بعد تقديم وثيقة ملكيتها.
- Article 11
Article 11 requires every Saudi ship to have a name, written at its bow and stern in clear Arabic and Latin letters with its port of registration, and bars the same name for more than one ship in the Kingdom.
أ- يجب على كل سفينة سعودية أن تتخذ لها اسماً، ويجب أن يكتب اسمها على مقدمتها من الجانبين وعلى مؤخرتها بحروف عربية ولاتينية ظاهرة وبلون مختلف عن لونها، ويجب كذلك
- Article 12
Article 12 empowers the registration office to issue a temporary registration certificate valid for one or more voyages, or for six months renewable for up to two years.
يصدر مكتب التسجيل شهادة تسجيل مؤقتة للسفينة، تكون صالحة لرحلة واحدة أو أكثر، أو لمدة ستة أشهر قابلة للتجديد لمدة أقصاها سنتان.
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.