Article 285 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 285 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثالث: الخسارة البحرية
The article requires a general average settlement to be submitted to the competent court for ratification, at the request of any interested party, if not all of them accept it, and requires the court, if it refuses, to appoint an expert for a new settlement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا لم يرضَ جميع ذوي الشأن بالتسوية وجب عرضها على المحكمة المختصة بناء على طلب أحدهم للتصديق عليها، فإن رفضت المحكمة التصديق على التسوية وجب عليها أن تعين خبيرًا (أو أكثر) لإجراء تسوية جديدة.
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 285 explained in plain English
After the expert prepares the general average settlement, not all interested parties may accept it. This article sets the procedure in that case:
- Submission to the court: if not all interested parties accept the settlement, it must be submitted to the competent court for ratification, at the request of any one of them.
- If the court ratifies it: the settlement becomes ratified.
- If the court refuses ratification: it must appoint one or more experts to make a new settlement.
The court therefore does not simply reject the settlement and leave the parties without a solution; the text requires it to appoint a new expert. The article does not specify the grounds on which the court bases its decision to ratify or refuse.
Article 284 states who appoints the settlement expert in the first place, while Article 286 gives the master the right to refuse to deliver goods that must be included in the general average unless their owner provides sufficient security. Anyone who objects to a settlement may consult a lawyer specialized in maritime cases.
Practical example
An expert prepared a settlement of a general average, and one of the cargo owners rejected it because he considered his share exaggerated. Any interested party may ask for the settlement to be submitted to the competent court for ratification, and if the court refuses to ratify it, it appoints a new expert to make a new settlement.
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 285 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What should I do if I do not accept the general average settlement?
If not all interested parties accept the settlement, it must be submitted to the competent court for ratification, at the request of any one of them.
What happens if the court rejects the settlement?
It must appoint one or more experts to make a new settlement.
More articles on General Average
- Article 202
Freight is payable for goods that the master decides to throw into the sea or sacrifice to save the ship or the cargo, subject to the general average provisions.
تستحق أجرة النقل عن البضائع التي يقرر الربان إلقاءها في البحر أو التضحية بها بأي صورة أخرى لإنقاذ السفينة أو الشحنة، مع مراعاة أحكام الخسائر البحرية المشتركة ال
- Article 271
The Article provides that marine loss is governed first by the parties' agreement, then by this chapter's provisions, then by maritime custom where there is neither agreement nor provision.
تسري على الخسارة البحرية التي لم يرد في شأنها اتفاق خاص بين ذوي الشأن؛ الأحكام المنصوص عليها في هذا الفصل, فإن لم يكن هناك اتفاق أو نص في هذا الفصل فتطبق القواع
- Article 272
The Article divides marine loss into joint and particular, presumes a loss is particular unless the person claiming it is joint proves otherwise, and places particular loss on the owner of the damaged thing or whoever bore the expenses, with a right of recourse.
1- تكون الخسارة البحرية إما مشتركة وإما خاصة. 2- يفترض أن الخسارة خاصة, وعلى من يدعي أن الخسارة مشتركة إثبات ذلك. 3- يتحمل الخسارة البحرية الخاصة مالك الشيء الذ
- Article 273
The Article limits what is accepted in joint loss to physical damage to the ship or cargo and sums spent on them arising directly from the master's sacrifice or expenses, excluding damage from delay and indirect damage.
لا تقبل في الخسارة المشتركة إلاَّ الأضرار المادية التي تصيب السفينة أو البضائع الموجودة عليها, والمبالغ التي تنفق من أجلها، بشرط أن تكون الأضرار أو المبالغ ناشئ
- Article 274
The Article provides that a loss remains joint even if the incident that caused it occurred through the fault of one of the parties concerned in the voyage, with the others' right of recourse against the party at fault preserved.
تعد الخسارة مشتركة حتى لو وقع الحادث الذي نتجت عنه بخطأ أحد ذوي الشأن في الرحلة، وذلك دون إخلال بحق ذوي الشأن الآخرين في الرجوع على من صدر منه الخطأ.
- Article 275
The Article treats as joint loss expenses incurred in place of other expenses that would have been accepted in the loss had they been incurred, provided they do not exceed the expenses not incurred.
تعد خسارة مشتركة المصروفات التي أنفقت بدلاً من مصروفات أخرى كانت تقبل في الخسارة لو أنها أنفقت, بشرط ألاَّ تجاوز المصروفات التي لم تنفق.
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.