Article 201 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 201 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد النقل البحري : أولاً: أحكام عامة
The shipper pays the freight; if it is payable on arrival, the person entitled to receive the goods pays it if he accepts them. If the bill of lading does not state freight due on arrival, it is presumed paid in full, and the freight is not discharged by loss of or damage to the goods.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يلتزم الشاحن بأداء أجرة النقل، وإذا كانت الأجرة مستحقة الأداء عند الوصول التزم بأدائها من له الحق في تسلم البضاعة إذا قبل تسلمها.
2- إذا لم يذكر في سند الشحن مقدار الأجرة المستحقة عند الوصول اُفترض أن الناقل قبض الأجرة كاملة عند الشحن، ولا يجوز إثبات ما يخالف ذلك في مواجهة الغير الذي لا يعلم وقت حصوله على السند أن الأجرة أو جزءً منها لا يزال مستحقاً.
3- لا تبرأ ذمة الشاحن أو من له حق في تسلم البضائع من دفع أجرة نقلها حتى لو تلفت, أو نقصت كميتها أو قيمتها أثناء السفر.
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 201 explained in plain English
This article regulates the freight for sea carriage of goods.
First: who pays?
- The rule is that the shipper must pay the freight.
- If the freight is payable on arrival, it is owed by the person entitled to receive the goods if he accepts them.
Second: the bill of lading is silent on freight. If the bill of lading does not state the amount of freight payable on arrival, the carrier is presumed to have received the full freight at loading. The contrary may not be proved against a third party who, when he obtained the bill, did not know that the freight or part of it was still due.
This protects the buyer of the bill: if he buys a bill that does not mention freight due, he cannot later be claimed against for it as long as he did not know.
Third: loss and shortage. The shipper, or the person entitled to receive the goods, is not released from the freight even if the goods are lost or their quantity or value is reduced during the voyage.
It follows Article 200, which requires the shipper to deliver the goods at the agreed place and time. It is followed by Article 202, which makes freight payable for goods that the master decides to throw into the sea or sacrifice to save the ship or the cargo. Importing merchants are advised to check the freight statement in the bill and to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law in case of dispute.
Practical example
A merchant in Riyadh bought a bill of lading for goods coming to Dammam, and the bill does not mention any freight due on arrival. The freight is presumed to have been paid in full at loading, and the merchant cannot be claimed against for it if he did not know when he obtained the bill that part of it was still due.
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 201 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Who pays the freight for sea carriage?
The shipper; and if it is payable on arrival, the person entitled to receive the goods pays it if he accepts them.
What if the bill of lading does not state the freight due on arrival?
The carrier is presumed to have received the full freight at loading, and the contrary may not be proved against a third party who did not know.
Does the freight fall away if the goods are damaged?
No. The obligation is not discharged even if the goods are lost or their quantity or value is reduced during the voyage.
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.