Article 345 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 345 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الرابع: التأمين على البضائع
The article applies the marine insurance provisions to goods during land, river or air transport that completes the sea voyage, unless otherwise agreed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا كانت البضائع أثناء الرحلة محلاًّ لنقل بري أو نهري أو جوي مكمل لهذه الرحلة, سرت عليها أحكام التأمين البحري خلال مدة النقل المذكور, إلاَّ إذا اتفق على غير 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 345 explained in plain English
A cargo's journey is often not limited to the sea, but needs complementary transport before loading or after unloading. This article settles the rule for this stage:
If, during the voyage, the goods are the subject of:
- land transport, or
- river transport, or
- air transport,
complementing this voyage, then the marine insurance provisions apply to them during the period of that transport.
The exception: unless otherwise agreed. The parties may agree to subject this stage to other provisions or to exclude it.
The important condition is that the transport be complementary to the sea voyage, not transport independent of it.
The practical benefit is that the cargo owner does not, in principle, need different rules for each stage of the journey, so the marine insurance provisions remain the governing ones. Article 344 provides that the goods are covered by the insurance without interruption wherever they are during the voyage as the contracting parties define it, while Article 346 requires ships carrying oil from or to the Kingdom to carry a civil liability insurance certificate.
Practical example
A company in Riyadh insures a shipment arriving by sea at the port of Dammam and then carried by trucks to its warehouse in Riyadh as a complementary part of the voyage. The marine insurance provisions apply to the goods during the land transport as well, unless the parties agree otherwise.
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 345 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Does marine insurance cover goods while they are carried by land after the port?
If the land transport complements the sea voyage, the marine insurance provisions apply to it during its period, unless otherwise agreed.
Does this include air transport?
Yes, the article covers land, river or air transport that complements the voyage.
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.