Article 222 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 222 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد النقل البحري : أولاً: أحكام عامة
Claims for carriage of goods by sea are brought before the competent court under the Law of Sharia Procedure, and the claimant may also choose the defendant's place of business, the place of contracting, the ports or the place named in the contract.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تقام الدعوى الناشئة عن عقد نقل البضائع بحراً أمام المحكمة المختصة وفق نظام المرافعات الشرعية. ويجوز أيضاً -بحسب اختيار المدعي- أن ترفع الدعوى المذكورة إلى المحكمة التي يقع في نطاق ولايتها أحد الأماكن الآتية:
1- المحل الرئيس لعمل المدعى عليه، وإن لم يكن له محل عمل رئيس فالمحل الاعتيادي لإقامته.
2- مكان إبرام العقد, بشرط أن يكون للمدعى عليه محل عمل فيه, أو فرع أو وكالة, أبرم العقد عن طريق أي منها.
3- ميناء الشحن أو ميناء التفريغ.
4- أي مكان آخر يعين لهذا الغرض في عقد النقل البحري.
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 222 explained in plain English
This article specifies the courts before which claims for carriage of goods by sea may be brought.
The rule: the claim is brought before the competent court under the Law of Sharia Procedure.
Additional options for the claimant: he may also, at his choice, bring the claim before the court within whose jurisdiction one of the following places lies:
- the defendant's main place of business, or, if he has no main place of business, his habitual place of residence;
- the place where the contract was made, provided the defendant has a place of business, branch or agency there through which the contract was made;
- the port of loading or the port of discharge;
- any other place designated for this purpose in the contract of carriage by sea.
The practical benefit is that the claimant, who is often the owner of the goods, is not forced to sue the carrier in his distant home country; he can, for example, sue at the port of discharge to which the goods arrived.
The choice belongs to the claimant, whether he is the shipper or the carrier.
It follows Article 221, which sets the limitation period at two years. It is followed by Article 223, which regulates the place of arbitration if agreed and voids a pre-dispute agreement that deprives the claimant of the right of choice. To choose the most suitable court, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
A foreign exporter shipped goods to an importer in Dammam through a carrier based outside the Kingdom, and they arrived damaged. The importer may bring his claim before the court within whose jurisdiction Dammam port lies, as the port of discharge.
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 222 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Where do I bring a claim against a sea carrier?
Before the competent court under the Law of Sharia Procedure, or at your choice before the court of the defendant's place of business, the place of contracting under its conditions, the port of loading or discharge, or the place designated in the contract.
May the claim be brought at the port of discharge?
Yes. One of the options open to the claimant is the court within whose jurisdiction the port of loading or the port of discharge lies.
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.