Article 2 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 2 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الأول: السفينة : أحكام عامة
Article 2 sets the scope of the Commercial Maritime Law: Saudi ships and foreign ships anchored in the Kingdom's ports or maritime zones, excluding warships and public service ships except for collision, salvage and general average.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تطبق أحكام هذا النظام على السفن السعودية, والسفن الأجنبية التي ترسو في موانئ المملكة أو مناطقها البحرية, وتستثنى من ذلك السفن الحربية, وسفن الخدمة العامة المخصصة لأغراض غير تجارية, أو تلك التي يرد في شأنها نص خاص, إلاَّ فيما يتعلق بالتصادم والإنقاذ والخسائر البحرية المشتركة.
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 2 explained in plain English
This article answers the question: to which ships does the Commercial Maritime Law apply?
It applies to:
- Saudi ships.
- Foreign ships anchored in the Kingdom's ports or maritime zones. Under Article 1, the maritime zones are the internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as defined by law.
It excludes:
- Warships.
- Public service ships designated for non-commercial purposes.
- Ships for which a special provision exists.
An exception to the exception: these excluded ships are subject to the provisions of the law in three matters only:
- Collision.
- Salvage.
- General average.
The practical meaning is that a foreign ship does not fall outside the law merely because it is foreign if it is anchored in the Kingdom's ports or maritime zones, and that a warship or a non-commercial government ship that collides with a commercial ship, for example, is subject to the collision provisions of this law. Anyone concerned with whether the law applies to a particular ship can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial or international cases.
Practical example
A foreign cargo ship anchored at the Jeddah Islamic Port and a dispute arose about its cargo. It is subject to the provisions of the Commercial Maritime Law because it is anchored in one of the Kingdom's ports.
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 2 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Does the Saudi maritime law apply to foreign ships?
Yes, to foreign ships anchored in the Kingdom's ports or maritime zones.
Are warships subject to the Commercial Maritime Law?
Warships are excluded except in matters of collision, salvage and general average.
More articles on Scope of the Maritime Law and Ship Nationality
- Article 1
Article 1 defines 39 terms on which the Commercial Maritime Law is built, such as the ship, operator, carrier, shipper, bill of lading, master, seaman, marine insurance, wreck and unit of account.
لأغراض هذا النظام, يقصد بالمصطلحات الآتية المعنى المبين أمام كل منها, ما لم يقتضِ السياق خلاف ذلك: 1- النظام: النظام البحري التجاري. 2- الوزير: وزير النقل، رئيس
- Article 3
Article 3 applies the rules on movable property to ships, subject to the provisions of the law, except the rule on acquiring movables by possession and anything covered by a special provision.
مع مراعاة الأحكام المنصوص عليها في النظام, تسري على السفينة أحكام المال المنقول عدا حكم تملكه بالحيازة, وما ورد في شأنه نص خاص.
- Article 4
Article 4 requires, for a ship to acquire Saudi nationality, registration in a Kingdom port and full ownership by a Saudi, or a Saudi majority of shares in co-ownership, and allows the Chairman to adjust the ownership percentage.
تكتسب السفينة الجنسية السعودية إذا كانت مسجلة في أحد موانئ المملكة، وكانت مملوكة بكاملها لشخص يتمتع بهذه الجنسية. وإذا كانت السفينة مملوكة على الشيوع اشترط أن ت
- Article 5
Article 5 requires every Saudi ship to fly the Kingdom's flag and permits flying another flag only where maritime custom allows, or to avoid certain danger or capture.
على كل سفينة سعودية أن ترفع علم المملكة, ولا يجوز لها أن ترفع علماً غيره إلاَّ في الحالات التي يجري فيها العرف البحري، أو إذا كان الغرض هو تجنب الوقوع في خطر مح
- Article 6
Article 6 limits towing, pilotage, supply services in the Kingdom's maritime zones and coastal transport between its ports to Saudi ships, and lets the Chairman exempt other ships by a license for a set period.
لا يجوز لغير السفن السعودية ممارسة نشاط القَطْر أو الإرشاد أو القيام بخدمات التموين في مناطق المملكة البحرية، ولا يجوز لها مزاولة أعمال النقل الساحلي بين موانئ
- Article 93
The liability of the ship's owner is limited in accordance with the international conventions on limitation of liability for maritime claims to which the Kingdom has acceded.
تحدد مسؤولية مالك السفينة طبقاً للاتفاقيات الدولية المتعلقة بتحديد المسؤولية عن المطالبات البحرية التي انضمت إليها المملكة.
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.