Article 370 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 370 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: الإرشاد البحري
The article keeps command of the ship with the master during pilotage, exempts the pilot and his body from damage to the piloted ship, makes the operator liable for third-party damage from the pilot's errors, and covers damage to the pilot vessel, pilot and crew, with exceptions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تبقى قيادة السفينة وإدارتها للربان أثناء قيام المرشد بعمله عليها.
2- لا يسأل المرشد أو الجهة التي يتبعها عن الأضرار التي تلحق بالسفينة التي يرشدها.
3- يسأل مجهز السفينة وحده عن الأضرار التي تلحق الغير بسبب الأخطاء التي تقع من المرشد جراء عملية الإرشاد.
4- يسأل مجهز السفينة عن الأضرار التي تلحق بسفينة الإرشاد أثناء تنفيذ عملية الإرشاد, أو المناورات الخاصة بصعود المرشد إلى السفينة أو نزوله منها, إلاَّ إذا أثبت أن الضرر نشأ عن خطأ جسيم من المرشد.
5- يسأل مجهز السفينة عن الضرر الذي يصيب المرشد أو بحارة سفينة الإرشاد أثناء تنفيذ عملية الإرشاد, إلاَّ إذا أثبت أن الضرر نشأ عن خطأ صدر من المرشد أو بحارة سفينة الإرشاد.
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 370 explained in plain English
This article regulates the distribution of responsibility in the pilotage operation:
- Command: command and management of the ship remain with the master while the pilot carries out his work. The pilot does not replace the master.
- Damage to the piloted ship: the pilot or the body he belongs to is not liable for damage to the ship he is piloting.
- Damage to third parties: the ship's operator alone is liable for damage to third parties caused by the pilot's errors arising from the pilotage operation.
- Damage to the pilot vessel: the ship's operator is liable for damage to it during pilotage or the maneuvers of the pilot boarding and disembarking, unless he proves that the damage arose from gross fault by the pilot.
- Damage to the pilot or the pilot vessel's seamen: the ship's operator is liable for it, unless he proves that the damage arose from a fault by the pilot or the pilot vessel's seamen.
Note the difference between items 4 and 5: for damage to the pilot vessel, gross fault by the pilot is required to relieve the operator, whereas for damage to the pilot or the seamen, a fault by them is enough.
Article 369 sets the duties of the ship and master toward the pilot, and Article 371 requires the pilot to help a ship in imminent danger first. To assess responsibility in a pilotage incident, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in maritime cases.
Practical example
While a commercial ship is being piloted in the port of Jeddah, the pilot makes a mistake and the ship collides with a moored boat belonging to another company, and the ship itself is damaged. Neither the pilot nor his body is liable for the piloted ship's damage, and the ship's operator alone is liable for the boat's damage.
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 370 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Who commands the ship while the pilot is on board?
Command and management of the ship remain with the master while the pilot carries out his work on it.
Is the pilot liable for damage to the ship he pilots?
The pilot or the body he belongs to is not liable for damage to the ship he is piloting.
Who bears third-party damage caused by the pilot's error?
The ship's operator alone is liable for damage to third parties caused by the pilot's errors arising from the pilotage operation.
More articles on Marine Pollution, Towage and Pilotage
- Article 103
The master must personally command the ship when entering and leaving ports, passing through waterways and whenever special obstacles confront navigation, even if he is obliged to use a pilot.
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.