Article 311 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 311 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الأول: الأحكام العامة
The article provides that if it cannot be known whether damage was caused by a war risk or a maritime risk, it is considered to arise from a maritime risk unless the contrary is proved.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا تعذرت معرفة ما إذا كان الضرر قد وقع بسبب خطر حربي أو خطر بحري، عُدَّ ناشئاً عن خطر بحري, ما لم يثبت خلاف ذلك.
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 311 explained in plain English
This article sets a presumption to solve a practical problem: damage may occur to a ship or goods and it is not known whether its cause was a war risk, such as a mine or an attack, or an ordinary maritime risk, such as a storm or a collision.
The article provides that if the cause cannot be known, the damage is considered to arise from a maritime risk, unless the contrary is proved.
The importance of this presumption is that the policy may cover one of the two types and not the other, so the uncertainty is resolved in favor of treating the damage as maritime. Anyone who wants to prove that the damage was caused by war may do so, because the text allows proof against the presumption.
Under Article 1, maritime risks are unexpected incidents that may occur and that relate to a sea voyage. Article 310 sets out what war risk insurance covers if agreed, while Article 312 states what the insurer is not liable for, such as inherent defect and ordinary shortage of goods. To assess a particular incident, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in insurance and maritime cases.
Practical example
An insured ship sank in an area that had seen tension, and it was not known whether it sank because of a mine or because of damage and bad weather. The damage is considered to arise from a maritime risk unless it is proved that it was caused by a war risk.
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 311 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What if it is not known whether the damage was caused by war or the sea?
The damage is considered to arise from a maritime risk, unless the contrary is proved.
Can it be proved that the damage was caused by war?
Yes. Under the text of the article, the presumption admits proof to the contrary.
More articles on Marine Insurance
- Article 139
Ships carrying the Kingdom's nationality are not permitted to sail to areas dominated by the dangers of war, piracy or armed robbery until proof of insurance of their crew against these dangers is provided.
لا يصرح للسفن التي تحمل جنسية المملكة بالسفر إلى المناطق التي تغلب عليها أخطار الحرب, أو أعمال القرصنة أو السطو المسلح, إلا بعد تقديم مالكها أو مجهزها أو مستأجر
- Article 215
Any agreement made before the incident that exempts the carrier from liability for loss of or damage to the goods, alters the burden of proof placed on him, or assigns to him the rights arising from cargo insurance is void.
يقع باطلاً كل اتفاق يتم قبل وقوع الحادث الذي نشأ عنه الضرر, ويكون موضوعه أحد الأمور الآتية: 1- إعفاء الناقل من المسؤولية عن هلاك البضائع أو تلفها. 2- تعديل عبء
- Article 236
The carrier must hold insurance or a guarantee from a recognized body covering its liability for death and bodily injury, and the injured party may claim directly against the insurer or guarantor.
يجب أن يكون لدى الناقل تأمين أو ضمان من جهة معترف بها، لتغطية مسؤوليته عن الوفاة والإصابات البدنية. وفي هذه الحالة يجوز للمتضرر الرجوع المباشر على المؤمن أو الض
- Article 293
The article provides that the maritime insurance provisions apply to an insurance contract covering maritime risks, without prejudice to the Law on Supervision of Cooperative Insurance Companies.
دون إخلال بالأحكام الواردة في نظام مراقبة شركات التأمين التعاوني, تسري أحكام هذا الباب على عقد التأمين الذي يكون موضوعه تغطية الأخطار البحرية.
- Article 294
The article requires a maritime insurance contract and any change to it to be proved in writing, sets the particulars of the insurance policy, and makes a provisional policy binding on both parties until the final policy is issued.
1- لا يثبت عقد التأمين وكل ما يطرأ عليه إلاَّ بالكتابة. 2- يصدر بموجب عقد التأمين وثيقة تأمين تتضمن البيانات الآتية: أ- تاريخ عقد التأمين ومكانه. ب- اسم المؤمِّ
- Article 295
The article allows a maritime insurance policy to be issued in the name of the insured, to his order or to bearer, and gives its lawful holder the right to claim compensation, subject to the insurer's defenses against the insured.
1- تكون وثيقة التأمين باسم المؤمن له أو لأمره، أو لحاملها. 2- يكون لحامل الوثيقة الشرعي الحق في المطالبة بالتعويض, وللمؤمِّن أن يحتج في مواجهته بالدفوع التي يجو
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.