Article 379 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 379 من النظام البحري التجاري · الباب العاشر: العقوبات
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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.
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 379 explained in plain English
This article sets a penalty for practicing maritime pilotage without a permit:
- The person addressed: any person who pilots a ship.
- The act: piloting without holding a permit from the competent authority.
- The penalty: a fine of not less than SAR 10,000 and not more than SAR 50,000.
What matters is holding the permit, even if the person has maritime experience. Note that the penalty is set for the person who actually pilots.
The article does not set out the conditions for obtaining the permit, and does not say whether the penalty extends to someone who engaged an unpermitted person.
Article 378 punishes with a fine of SAR 10,000 to 100,000 anyone who disrupts or obstructs the work of maritime inspection delegates or experts of classification societies authorized by the Authority, while Article 380 punishes with a fine of SAR 3,000 to 30,000 the master of a ship who drops anchor within the separation zones of navigation lanes without an acceptable reason. Anyone facing a charge of this kind should consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal and maritime cases.
Practical example
A former sailor piloted a commercial ship into the port of Yanbu without holding a permit from the competent authority. He is punished with a fine of not less than SAR 10,000 and not more than SAR 50,000.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCriminal Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Criminal Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 379 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What is the penalty for practicing maritime pilotage without a permit?
A fine of not less than ten thousand riyals and not more than fifty thousand riyals.
Who issues the pilotage permit?
The competent authority, as stated in the article.
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 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
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.