Article 270 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 270 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: الإنقاذ البحري
The Article voids any agreement giving a foreign court jurisdiction over salvage actions, or providing for arbitration outside the Kingdom, if the salvage occurred in the Kingdom's maritime areas and the salvaging or salvaged ship is Saudi.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يقع باطلاً كل اتفاق يقضي باختصاص محكمة أجنبية بنظر الدعاوى الناشئة عن الإنقاذ البحري، أو بإجراء التحكيم في هذه الدعاوى خارج المملكة، وذلك إذا وقع الإنقاذ في المناطق البحرية للمملكة، وكانت السفينة التي أَنقذت أو السفينة التي أنقذت تتمتع بالجنسية السعودية.
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 270 explained in plain English
This Article protects the jurisdiction of the Saudi judiciary over maritime salvage actions in certain cases, and provides that any agreement is void that provides for:
- a foreign court's jurisdiction to hear actions arising from maritime salvage, or
- holding arbitration in these actions outside the Kingdom.
But voidness is conditional on two things coming together:
- the salvage occurred in the Kingdom's maritime areas, which according to Article 1 are the internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf as defined by law, and
- the salvaging ship or the salvaged ship has Saudi nationality; it is enough for one of them to be Saudi.
If one of the two conditions is lacking, for example if the salvage occurred outside the Kingdom's maritime areas, this voidness does not apply. Note that the Article does not prevent arbitration inside the Kingdom; what is prohibited is arbitration outside it.
Article 269 sets the period after which an action to claim a salvage reward or expenses is not heard at two years from the end of the operations. To draft a dispute clause in a salvage agreement or to challenge one, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial matters.
Practical example
A foreign ship rescued a Saudi fishing vessel in the Kingdom's territorial sea, and stipulated in the salvage agreement that any dispute be heard before a court in its own country. This condition is void, because the salvage occurred in the Kingdom's maritime areas and the salvaged ship was Saudi.
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 270 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Is a foreign court clause valid in a maritime salvage agreement?
It is void if the salvage occurred in the Kingdom's maritime areas and the salvaging or salvaged ship has Saudi nationality.
Is arbitration permitted in maritime salvage actions?
The Article voids an agreement to hold arbitration outside the Kingdom in the cases it specifies, and does not address arbitration inside it.
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.