Article 365 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 365 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الأول: القطر البحري
The article provides that towage services are performed under a contract between the master or operator of the towing ship and the master or operator of the towed ship.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تؤدى خدمات القطر بموجب عقد يتم بين ربان السفينة القاطرة أو مجهزها, وربان السفينة المقطورة أو مجهزها.
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 365 explained in plain English
This article identifies the legal basis for towage services: they are performed under a contract.
The article identifies the parties to this contract:
- On the side of the towing ship: its master or its operator.
- On the side of the towed ship: its master or its operator.
So the contract may be concluded by the master directly, without the operator needing to intervene. Under Article 1, the operator is the person who operates the ship for his own account as owner, charterer or manager of the co-ownership, and the master is the person qualified to command the ship and responsible for managing it.
The article does not require any particular form for the contract. But Article 364 makes management of towage outside port limits by default for the master of the towing ship, and permits leaving the operation to the master of the towed ship only by written agreement.
Article 366 provides that the towing ship is responsible for damage to the towed ship, except in specified cases. To review a towage contract, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in maritime cases.
Practical example
A ship needs towage to enter the port of Dammam, so its master agrees directly with the master of a tug to provide the service. This is a valid towage contract between the master of the towing ship and the master of the towed ship, with no need for the operators to intervene.
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 365 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Who are the parties to a maritime towage contract?
The master or operator of the towing ship, and the master or operator of the towed ship.
Can the master conclude the towage contract himself?
Yes, the article makes the master or the operator a party to the contract on each side.
More articles on Marine Pollution, Towage and Pilotage
- Article 103
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على الربان أن يتولى بنفسه قيادة السفينة عند دخولها الموانئ، أو خروجها منها أو أثناء اجتياز الممرات البحرية، وكذلك في جميع الأحوال التي تعترض الملاحة عقبات خاصة،
- 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 261
The Article provides for a salvage reward when there is a useful result, not exceeding the value of what was saved, reasonable expenses when there is none, and special compensation for saving a ship threatening the marine environment.
1- كل عمل من أعمال الإنقاذ البحري يعطي الحق في مكافأة بشرط أن يؤدي إلى نتيجة مفيدة، ولا يجوز أن تتجاوز المكافأة قيمة ما أُنقذ. 2- إذا لم تؤدِّ أعمال الإنقاذ إلى
- Article 264
The Article sets three cases where no salvage reward or related expenses are due: express reasonable refusal by the ship, salvage of mail, and a tug's assistance to the ship in tow except for exceptional services.
لا تستحق أي مكافأة للإنقاذ البحري أو النفقات التابعة له في الحالات الآتية: 1- إذا كانت السفينة التي قدمت لها أعمال الإنقاذ البحري قد رفضت تدخل السفينة المقدمة ل
- Article 291
The article requires the competent authority, on a written request from any state, to investigate any violation of the international pollution prevention rules allegedly committed by a Saudi ship in that state's maritime zones, and to notify it of the result.
تجري الجهة المختصة تحقيقاً بناء على طلب مكتوب من أي دولة, في أي مخالفة للقواعد الدولية المطبقة من أجل منع تلوث البيئة البحرية يدَّعى أن سفينة سعودية ارتكبتها في
- Article 346
The article requires ships carrying oil from or to the Kingdom to carry a civil liability insurance certificate covering liability for any damage arising from the carriage.
تلتزم السفن التي تنقل الزيت من المملكة أو إليها بحمل شهادة تأمين المسؤولية المدنية؛ لتغطية ما قد ينشأ من مسؤولية عن أي ضرر ناشئ عن عملية النقل.
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.