Article 241 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 241 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد النقل البحري : أولاً: أحكام عامة
If a compensation claim is brought against the carrier's agent or servant, that person may rely on the carrier's defenses, liability provisions and limitation period, if the person proves the act occurred in the course of, or by reason of, the person's duties.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا أقيمت الدعوى بالتعويض على أحد وكلاء الناقل, أو على أحد تابعيه, جاز لمن أقيمت عليه الدعوى التمسك بالدفوع التي يكون للناقل الاحتجاج بها، وبأحكام المسؤولية، وعدم سماع الدعوى بعد مضي المدة إذا أثبت الوكيل أو التابع أن الفعل المنسوب إليه صدر أثناء تأدية وظيفته أو بسببها.
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 241 explained in plain English
This article deals with the case where the injured party sues the carrier's agent or one of its servants (such as its employees and workers) instead of suing the carrier itself. Under Article 1, the carrier is the person who undertakes the carriage by agreement with the shipper under the contract of carriage, for a fee.
The article provides that a person against whom such a claim is brought may rely on three things:
- The defenses that the carrier itself could have invoked.
- The liability provisions that apply to the carrier.
- The bar on hearing the claim after the lapse of the period set.
But this right is conditional on the agent or servant proving that the act attributed to them occurred in the course of, or by reason of, their duties. The burden of proof is on them, and if they do not prove it they do not benefit from this protection.
The practical purpose of the article is that suing the agent or servant should not become a way around the provisions governing the carrier's liability. Examples of periods in neighboring articles include those in Article 240, under which claims for compensation for a passenger's death, injury or delay in arrival are not heard after certain periods. A party to a dispute of this kind should preferably consult a lawyer specialized in maritime and commercial cases.
Practical example
A passenger was injured on a ship sailing from Jeddah and brought a compensation claim directly against one of the carrier company's employees. The employee proved that what was attributed to them occurred while performing their work on the ship, so the employee may rely on the defenses, liability provisions and limitation period that would have applied had the claim been brought against the carrier company.
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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Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
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Frequently asked questions about Article 241 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Can I sue an employee of the shipping company instead of the company?
The article assumes that a compensation claim may be brought against the carrier's agent or servant, and gives that person the right to rely on the carrier's defenses, liability provisions and limitation period.
When does the carrier's agent benefit from the carrier's defenses?
If the agent proves that the act attributed to them occurred in the course of, or by reason of, their duties.
Who bears the burden of proof in this case?
The agent or servant, who must prove the connection of the act to their duties.
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1- يثبت عقد نقل الأشخاص بحراً بمحرر يسمى تذكرة السفر، يذكر فيها على وجه خاص: أ- اسم الناقل, واسم الراكب, وجنسيته. ب- تاريخ إصدار تذكرة السفر. ج- اسم السفينة, وج
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إذا توفي الراكب أو قام مانع يحول دون سفره فسخ العقد واسترجعت الأجرة كاملة, بشرط أن يبلغ الراكب أو ورثته الناقل بذلك قبل الميعاد المعين للسفر بوقت مناسب وفق ما ت
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.