Article 249 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 249 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: عقد النقل البحري : أولاً: أحكام عامة
The article specifies the courts before which a claim on a contract for carriage of persons by sea may be brought, gives the claimant the choice among them, and voids any pre-dispute agreement that deprives the claimant of or restricts this right.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تقام الدعوى الناشئة عن عقد نقل الأشخاص بحراً أمام المحكمة المختصة وفق نظام المرافعات الشرعية. ويجوز أيضاً -بحسب اختيار المدعي- أن تقام الدعوى المذكورة أمام المحكمة التي يقع في نطاق اختصاصها ميناء المغادرة, أو ميناء الوصول، أو الميناء الذي حجز فيه على السفينة. ويقع باطلاً كل اتفاق سابق على قيام النزاع يقضي بسلب المدعي الحق في هذا الاختيار أو تقييده.
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 249 explained in plain English
This article states where a claim arising from a contract for the carriage of persons by sea is brought, such as passengers' claims against the carrier or the reverse.
The rule is that the claim is brought before the competent court under the Law of Sharia Procedure. It may also, at the claimant's choice, be brought before the court within whose jurisdiction lies:
- the port of departure, or
- the port of arrival, or
- the port at which the ship was arrested.
The choice here is the claimant's alone, who decides which of these courts suits the claimant best.
More important in practice, the article protects this choice: every agreement made before the dispute arose is void if it deprives the claimant of the right to this choice or restricts it. So if the ticket terms contain, for example, a clause requiring the passenger to bring a claim before one particular court, that clause is void if it was concluded before the dispute arose. An agreement concluded after the dispute arises is not caught by this nullity, on the wording of the text.
To choose the most suitable court in a particular dispute, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in maritime and commercial cases.
Practical example
A family traveled from the port of Jeddah to a foreign port, and the ticket terms stated that any dispute is to be brought only before a court in the company's country. If harm occurs, the head of the family may bring the claim before the court within whose jurisdiction the port of Jeddah lies as the port of departure, and that clause is void because it precedes the dispute and restricts the right of choice.
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 249 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Where do I bring a claim against a sea passenger carrier?
Before the competent court under the Law of Sharia Procedure, or, at your choice, before the court within whose jurisdiction lies the port of departure, the port of arrival or the port at which the ship was arrested.
Am I bound by a court clause written in the ticket?
Every agreement made before the dispute arose that deprives the claimant of this choice or restricts it is void.
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1- إذا حدثت ولادة أو وفاة أثناء السفر وجب على الربان إثبات هذه الوقائع في دفتر الوقائع الرسمي للسفينة، واتباع الإجراءات المنصوص عليها في الأنظمة الخاصة بالأحوال
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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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يجوز أن تستبدل بتذكرة السفر وثيقة أخرى يبين فيها اسم الناقل والخدمات التي يلتزم بتأديتها، وذلك إذا كانت حمولة السفينة الكلية لا تزيد على عشرين طناً، أو كانت الس
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يلتزم الناقل بإعداد السفينة وتجهيزها بما يلزم لتكون صالحة للملاحة ولتنفيذ السفر المتفق عليه. ويلتزم كذلك بإبقاء السفينة على هذه الحال طوال مدة السفر, وأن يوفر ا
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A passenger must appear at the time and place stated in the travel ticket; if the passenger fails to appear or is late, the passenger remains liable to pay the fare.
يجب على الراكب الحضور في الميعاد والمكان المبينين في تذكرة السفر, فإن تخلف عن الحضور, أو تأخر عن الميعاد المحدد, ظل ملزماً بدفع الأجرة.
- Article 229
If the passenger dies or is prevented from traveling, the contract is terminated and the full fare is refunded provided the carrier is notified in good time; otherwise the carrier is entitled to a quarter of the fare. This also applies to the passenger's family and dependents.
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.