Article 22 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 22 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: تسجيل السفينة المستأجرة غير المجهزة
The article requires the charterer of a ship that is not fitted out to apply to cancel its register and return the temporary registration certificate within fifteen days of the end of the charter contract.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يلتزم المستأجر بتقديم طلب شطب سجل السفينة المستأجرة غير المجهزة، وإعادة شهادة التسجيل المؤقتة الخاصة بها خلال خمسة عشر يوماً من تاريخ انتهاء عقد الإيجار.
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 22 explained in plain English
This article regulates the end of the temporary registration of a chartered ship that is not fitted out when the charter ends.
Who is bound: the charterer.
The obligation:
- To submit an application to cancel the register of the chartered ship that is not fitted out.
- To return the temporary registration certificate for it.
The deadline: within fifteen days of the date the charter contract ends.
In practical terms, the end of the charter contract does not end the registration automatically; the charterer must act within the deadline by applying for cancellation and returning the certificate. This is consistent with Article 21, which makes the charterer take the owner's place in obligations and penalties throughout the charter period, as cancellation ends the situation in which the ship was registered in the charterer's name.
The article does not state the consequences of missing the deadline. The period runs from the date the contract ends, not from the date the ship is returned to its owner. A person whose ship charter contract is ending can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases to make sure they meet their obligations.
Practical example
A Saudi company's charter of a foreign ship that is not fitted out ends at the end of the month. Within 15 days of that date, it must submit an application to cancel the register and return the temporary registration certificate.
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 22 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What must the ship's charterer do after the contract ends?
Submit an application to cancel the register of the chartered ship that is not fitted out and return the temporary registration certificate within fifteen days of the end of the charter contract.
When does the fifteen-day period start?
From the date the charter contract ends.
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.