Article 27 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 27 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الخامس: قيد الوحدات البحرية المعفاة من التسجيل
The article bars non-Saudis from owning marine units exempt from registration, except pleasure boats, which foreigners may own under conditions set by the regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز لغير السعودي تملك الوحدات البحرية المعفاة من التسجيل، عدا سفن النزهة فيجوز للأجانب تملكها بالشروط 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 27 explained in plain English
This article lays down a rule for owning marine units exempt from registration, meaning small and private units that are subject to entry in a register rather than registration.
The rule: a non-Saudi may not own these units.
The exception: pleasure boats, which foreigners may own, but under the conditions set by the regulations; the article does not state these conditions.
In practical terms, under this article a non-Saudi resident cannot own a small fishing boat exempt from registration, or any other exempt unit apart from pleasure boats. A pleasure boat, however, he may own if he meets the conditions set by the regulations.
Related to this provision, Article 28 makes the transfer of a marine unit's ownership to a foreigner one of the cases for cancelling its entry. Article 27 does not explain how this applies to pleasure boats, which foreigners may own. A non-Saudi who wishes to buy a boat in the Kingdom would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases or foreign investment to verify the conditions.
Practical example
A foreign resident in Jeddah wants to buy a small pleasure boat. He may own it under the conditions set by the regulations, but if he wanted to buy a fishing boat exempt from registration, he could not.
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 27 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Can a foreign resident own a boat in Saudi Arabia?
A non-Saudi may not own marine units exempt from registration, except pleasure boats, which foreigners may own under conditions set by the regulations.
Can a foreigner own a small fishing boat?
Fishing boats exempt from registration are among the units a non-Saudi may not own; the exception is limited to pleasure boats.
More articles on Registration of Ships and Maritime Units
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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.