Article 265 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 265 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: الإنقاذ البحري
The Article provides a reward for rescuing persons at sea, set by the court if disputed, which may exempt the rescued person for his financial condition, and gives life-savers a fair share of the ship and cargo salvage reward without cumulating both.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تُستَحق عن إنقاذ الأشخاص في البحر مكافأة تحددها المحكمة عند الاختلاف، ولها أن تعفي الشخص الذي أُنقذ من أداء المكافأة إذا كانت حالته المالية تسوِّغ ذلك.
2- يستحق الأشخاص الذين أنقذوا الأرواح البشرية نصيباً عادلاً في مكافأة الإنقاذ البحري التي تعطى لمن أنقذوا السفينة والبضائع بمناسبة الحادث نفسه، ولا يجوز الجمع بين نصيب المنقذ من هذه الحصة والمكافأة المشار إليها في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة.
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 265 explained in plain English
This Article deals with rescuing persons at sea, as distinct from salvaging the ship and cargo.
Paragraph 1: the reward for rescuing persons
- A reward is due for rescuing persons at sea.
- It is set by the court if there is disagreement over its amount.
- The court may exempt the rescued person from paying the reward if his financial condition justifies it.
Paragraph 2: the share of life-savers in the ship's salvage reward
- If in the same incident the ship and cargo were salvaged and lives were saved, those who saved human lives are entitled to a fair share of the salvage reward given to those who salvaged the ship and cargo.
- The salvor's share of this portion and the reward mentioned in paragraph 1 may not be combined; he takes only one of them.
Article 264 sets out cases in which no salvage reward is due at all, such as the ship's express refusal for a reasonable cause. Article 266 also allows the court to annul or amend a salvage agreement in certain cases. To assess the right to a reward in a particular incident, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime matters.
Practical example
A pleasure boat capsized near the shore at Khobar, and the crew of a passing ship rescued its passengers. They are entitled to a reward for rescuing persons, set by the court if there is disagreement, and the court may exempt one of those rescued from paying it if his financial condition justifies that.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCivil Litigation & Compensation lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Abdullah Al-Saleh Law Office for Law and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 265 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Is someone who rescues a person at sea entitled to a reward?
Yes. A reward is due for rescuing persons at sea, set by the court if there is disagreement.
Can the rescued person be exempted from paying the reward?
The court may exempt him from paying it if his financial condition justifies that.
Can a life-saver combine two rewards?
No. His share of the ship and cargo salvage reward in the same incident and the reward for rescuing persons may not be combined.
More articles on Collision and Maritime Salvage
- Article 111
The master submits a report on unusual incidents to the Authority within 24 hours of arrival; the Authority verifies it and draws up a record, and the master may not unload the affected cargo before the report except in extreme necessity.
1- إذا طرأت أثناء الرحلة حوادث غير عادية تتعلق بالسفينة أو بالركاب أو بالشحنة وجب على الربان أن يعد تقريراً بذلك يقدمه إلى الهيئة خلال أربع وعشرين ساعة من وصول
- Article 254
The article specifies who bears compensation for a maritime collision according to its cause: fault of one ship, force majeure or an unknown cause, or common fault, and sets out the cases of joint liability toward third parties.
1- إذا حدث تصادم بسبب خطأ إحدى السفن التزمت السفينة المحدثة للضرر بالتعويض الذي يترتب على هذا التصادم. 2- إذا وقع التصادم بسبب قوة قاهرة، أو كان هناك شك في أسبا
- Article 255
The Article provides that the liability set out in the collision chapter also arises if the collision occurs through the pilot's fault, even if pilotage is compulsory, without prejudice to the general rules of liability.
تترتب المسؤولية المنصوص عليها في هذا الفصل, إذا وقع التصادم بخطأ المرشد، ولو كان الإرشاد إجباريًّا، وذلك مع عدم الإخلال بالقواعد العامة في المسؤولية.
- Article 256
The Article requires the master of each ship involved in a collision to help the other ships and those aboard without endangering his own ship, and to give them his ship's particulars; the shipowner is liable only on his express instructions.
1- على ربان كل سفينة من السفن التي حدث تصادم بينها أن يبادر إلى مساعدة السفن الأخرى وبحارتها وغيرهم من الأشخاص الموجودين عليها، وذلك بالقدر الذي لا يعرض سفينته
- Article 257
The Article lists the courts before which a claimant may bring a maritime collision action, and allows arbitration agreements provided it takes place within the area of one of these courts, as the claimant chooses.
1- للمدعي إقامة الدعوى الناشئة عن التصادم البحري أمام إحدى المحاكم الآتية: أ- المحكمة التي يقع في نطاق اختصاصها موطن المدعى عليه، أو مقر عمله الرئيس. ب- المحكمة
- Article 258
The Article bars hearing a collision compensation action after two years from the incident and a recourse action after one year from the death, and suspends the periods if the ship cannot be arrested and the claimant is Saudi or domiciled in the Kingdom.
1- لا تسمع الدعوى بالتعويض الناشئة عن التصادم بعد مضي سنتين من تاريخ وقوع الحادث. 2- لا تسمع دعوى الرجوع المنصوص عليها في الفقرة (5) من المادة (الرابعة والخمسين
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.