Article 20 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 20 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: تسجيل السفينة المستأجرة غير المجهزة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 مكاتب تسجيل السفن المعتمدة في المملكة، وفي حالة وجود السفينة خارج المملكة يصدر مكتب تسجيل السفن أو ممثلية المملكة شهادة تسجيل مؤقتة لهذه السفينة.
2- ينشأ في كل مكتب من مكاتب تسجيل السفن سجل خاص للتسجيل المؤقت للسفن الأجنبية المستأجرة غير المجهزة.
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 20 explained in plain English
This article deals with chartering a foreign ship that is not fitted out, which under Article 1 is a ship the owner places at the charterer's disposal for a set period without equipping it with stores, crew or fuel.
1. Registration is permitted: such a ship may be registered at any approved ship registration office in the Kingdom, provided the charterer meets the registration conditions, whether the charter is:
- For one voyage or trip.
- For a number of trips and voyages.
- For a set period.
2. Ship outside the Kingdom: the ship registration office or the Kingdom's representative mission issues a temporary registration certificate for it.
3. Special register: each office sets up a special register for the temporary registration of chartered foreign ships that are not fitted out.
In practical terms, a Saudi company that charters a foreign ship without crew or equipment can register it in the Kingdom on a temporary basis in a special register, and what counts is whether the charterer meets the registration conditions. The article does not specify the effects of this registration. A person considering chartering a ship can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases.
Practical example
A Saudi shipping company charters a foreign ship for two years without crew or fuel. If the company meets the registration conditions, it can register the ship in the special register for chartered foreign ships that are not fitted out at any approved registration office.
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 20 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Can a chartered foreign ship be registered in the Kingdom?
Yes, if it is chartered without being fitted out and the charterer meets the registration conditions.
What if the chartered ship is outside the Kingdom?
The ship registration office or the Kingdom's representative mission issues a temporary registration certificate for it.
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.