Article 26 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 26 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الخامس: قيد الوحدات البحرية المعفاة من التسجيل
The article permits the owner of a marine unit to transfer its entry from the registration office where it is entered to any other approved registration office in the Kingdom, under procedures set by the regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لمالك الوحدة البحرية نقل قيدها من مكتب التسجيل المقيدة فيه إلى أي مكتب تسجيل آخر معتمد في المملكة، وفقاً للإجراءات التي تحددها اللوائح.
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 26 explained in plain English
This article gives the owner of an entered marine unit the right to transfer its entry:
- From: the registration office where it is currently entered.
- To: any other approved registration office in the Kingdom.
- Procedures: set by the regulations; the article does not state them.
In practical terms, a boat or marine unit owner who moves their business or boat to another coast, such as from the Arabian Gulf to the Red Sea, can transfer the unit's entry to a registration office in the new location instead of leaving it entered at the first office. This right belongs to the owner, so the transfer request comes from them.
Entry here is the procedure specific to marine units, and it is linked to Article 25, under which the competent registration office issues an entry certificate for the marine unit stating its name, specifications, entry number, owner and assigned service. A person who needs to transfer the entry of their marine unit can go to the registration office or consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases.
Practical example
A fisherman moves from Dammam to Yanbu with his boat, which is entered at the Dammam registration office. He may transfer the boat's entry to the approved registration office in Yanbu under the procedures set by the regulations.
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 26 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Can a boat's entry be transferred from one registration office to another?
Yes. The owner of a marine unit may transfer its entry to any other approved registration office in the Kingdom.
What are the procedures for transferring an entry?
The regulations set them.
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.