Article 380 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 380 من النظام البحري التجاري · الباب العاشر: العقوبات
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 3,000 to 30,000 a ship's master who drops anchor within the separation zones of navigation lanes without an acceptable reason.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن ثلاثة آلاف ريال, ولا تزيد على ثلاثين ألف ريال, ربان السفينة في حالة إلقاء المخطاف داخل مناطق فصل الممرات الملاحية دون سبب مقبول.
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 380 explained in plain English
This article deals with a specific navigation violation:
- The person addressed: the ship's master.
- The act: dropping anchor within the separation zones of navigation lanes.
- The condition: that this be without an acceptable reason.
- The penalty: a fine of not less than SAR 3,000 and not more than SAR 30,000.
The Law does not define the separation zones of navigation lanes in Article 1, and this article does not specify where they are.
Note that the text excepts the case where there is an acceptable reason; it does not specify what forms this reason may take, so it is assessed according to the circumstances of each case.
Article 379 punishes anyone who pilots a ship without a permit from the competent authority, while Article 381 punishes with a fine of SAR 5,000 to 20,000 anyone who recovers known maritime wreckage without permission, or boards or attempts to board a wrecked, stranded or endangered ship without its master's permission. Anyone facing a violation of this kind should consult a lawyer who specializes in maritime cases.
Practical example
A ship's master dropped anchor within a separation zone of the navigation lanes near the port of Jeddah to wait his turn to enter, with no acceptable reason such as a sudden breakdown. He is punished with a fine of not less than SAR 3,000 and not more than SAR 30,000.
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 380 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What is the penalty for dropping anchor in navigation lanes?
A fine of not less than three thousand riyals and not more than thirty thousand riyals, imposed on the ship's master if he drops anchor within the separation zones of navigation lanes without an acceptable reason.
Are there cases in which the master is not punished?
Yes. If there is an acceptable reason, since the text limits the penalty to the case where there is none.
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.