Article 376 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 376 من النظام البحري التجاري · الباب العاشر: العقوبات
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 البحر، وذلك دون مسوّغ مقبول.
2- يعاقب المجهز بالعقوبة نفسها إذا كانت المخالفة المشار إليها في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة بناء على تعليمات صريحة منه.
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 376 explained in plain English
This article sets a criminal penalty for breaching the duty to save lives at sea:
The master (paragraph 1): a fine of not less than SAR 10,000 and not more than SAR 100,000 is imposed on any master who does not respond to a distress call:
- to rescue a ship that is about to sink, or
- to rescue a person found at sea,
and does so without an acceptable justification. If the master has an acceptable justification for not responding, the penalty does not apply, and the article does not specify what forms an acceptable justification may take.
The operator (paragraph 2): is punished with the same penalty if the violation was on his express instructions.
The article therefore does not stop at punishing the master but extends to the operator who expressly directs non-response. According to Article 1, the operator is the person who operates the ship on his own account as owner, charterer or managing co-owner.
Article 375 punishes preventing the rescue of stranded ships and hiding maritime wreckage, while Article 377 punishes a master or operator who sails a ship flying the Kingdom's flag without a valid certificate or despite a decision suspending it. Anyone facing a charge of this kind should consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal and maritime cases.
Practical example
The master of a cargo ship received a distress call from a fishing boat sinking near the coast of Al-Wajh, and with no acceptable justification he continued his voyage on the operator's express instructions. Both the master and the operator are punished with a fine of not less than SAR 10,000 and not more than SAR 100,000.
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 376 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What is the penalty for a master who does not respond to a distress call?
A fine of not less than ten thousand riyals and not more than one hundred thousand riyals, if he does not respond to a request to rescue a ship about to sink or a person found at sea without an acceptable justification.
Is the ship's operator punished?
Yes. He is punished with the same penalty if the violation was on his express instructions.
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 374
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.
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 والبيئ
- 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 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.