Article 374 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 374 من النظام البحري التجاري · الباب العاشر: العقوبات
The article punishes the operator of a marine platform with a fine of SAR 100,000 to 500,000 if he operates it without the safety requirements needed to protect persons and the environment.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن مائة ألف ريال, ولا تزيد على خمسمائة ألف ريال, مجهز المنصة البحرية في حالة تشغيلها دون توافر متطلبات السلامة اللازمة لحماية الأشخاص والبيئة.
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 374 explained in plain English
This article sets a special penalty concerning marine platforms:
- Who is addressed: the operator of the marine platform.
- The act: operating it without the safety requirements needed to protect persons and the environment.
- The penalty: a fine of not less than SAR 100,000 and not more than SAR 500,000.
Under Article 1, a marine platform is a marine installation used to extract oil, gas or other resources, and it is treated as a ship. The operator is the person who operates the ship for his own account as owner, charterer or manager of the co-ownership.
This article does not specify the safety requirements meant or the body that sets them. Note that the purpose stated in the text is twofold: protecting persons and protecting the environment.
Article 373 punishes with a fine of SAR 100,000 to 1,000,000 flying the Kingdom's flag on an unregistered ship and hiding the ship's particulars, and Article 375 punishes with a fine of SAR 100,000 to 500,000 moving stranded ships or wreckage into territorial waters to evade, preventing rescue, and hiding wreckage. Anyone facing a violation of this kind should consult a lawyer specialized in criminal and maritime cases.
Practical example
A company operates a marine platform for extracting gas in the Arabian Gulf without providing the safety requirements needed to protect workers and the environment. The platform's operator is punished with a fine of not less than SAR 100,000 and not more than SAR 500,000.
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 374 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What is the penalty for operating a marine platform without safety requirements?
A fine of not less than one hundred thousand riyals and not more than five hundred thousand riyals, imposed on the operator of the marine platform.
What is meant by a marine platform?
Under Article 1, a marine installation used to extract oil, gas or other resources, and it is treated as a ship.
More articles on Penalties Under the Commercial Maritime Law
- Article 373
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 100,000 to 1,000,000 anyone who flies the Kingdom's flag on an unregistered ship, with possible confiscation, or hides or defaces the ship's particulars, except to avoid capture.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن مائة ألف ريال, ولا تزيد على مليون ريال: 1- كل مالك أو مجهز أو ربان يرفع علم المملكة على سفينة غير مسجلة فيها، مع جواز الحكم بمصادرة السفي
- Article 375
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 100,000 to 500,000 moving stranded ships or wreckage into territorial waters to evade the Law, preventing or obstructing the rescue of stranded ships, and hiding wreckage or its markers.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن مائة ألف ريال, ولا تزيد على خمسمائة ألف ريال: 1- كل من نقل إلى المياه الإقليمية للمملكة أي سفينة جانحة أو متروكة أو جزء من شحنتها أو ملحق
- Article 376
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 10,000 to 100,000 a master who does not respond to a distress call without an acceptable justification, and the operator if the violation is on his express instructions.
1- يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن عشرة آلاف ريال، ولا تزيد على مائة ألف ريال, كل ربان لم يستجب لطلب الاستغاثة لإنقاذ سفينة تشرف على الغرق أو لإنقاذ شخص يعثر عليه في الب
- Article 377
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 10,000 to 100,000 the master or operator of a Saudi ship who sails it without a valid certificate, or sails a ship that has been ordered suspended or barred from sailing.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن عشرة آلاف ريال, ولا تزيد على مائة ألف ريال, كل ربان أو مجهز لسفينة ترفع علم المملكة يسيِّرها دون أن تحمل شهادة سارية من الشهادات المشار إ
- Article 378
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 10,000 to 100,000 anyone who disrupts or obstructs maritime inspection delegates or experts of classification societies authorized by the Authority from carrying out their task.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن عشرة آلاف ريال, ولا تزيد على مائة ألف ريال, كل من يعطل أو يعوق عمل مندوبي التفتيش البحري أو خبراء هيئات التصنيف المفوضة من الهيئة عن أداء
- Article 379
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 10,000 to 50,000 any person who pilots a ship without holding a permit from the competent authority.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن عشرة آلاف ريال, ولا تزيد على خمسين ألف ريال, كل شخص يتولى إرشاد سفينة دون أن يكون حاملاً لتصريح من السلطة المختصة.
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.