Article 381 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 381 من النظام البحري التجاري · الباب العاشر: العقوبات
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 5,000 to 20,000 anyone who recovers known maritime wreckage without prior permission, and anyone who boards a stranded or endangered ship without its master's permission.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعاقب بغرامة لا تقل عن خمسة آلاف ريال, ولا تزيد على عشرين ألف ريال:
1- كل من انتشل أي حطام بحري معروف داخل الموانئ أو المياه الإقليمية للمملكة دون إذن مسبق من الجهات الرسمية ذات العلاقة.
2- كل من صعد, أو حاول الصعود, على سفينة محطمة أو جانحة أو في حالة خطر داخل موانئ المملكة أو مياهها الإقليمية, دون إذن ربانها.
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 381 explained in plain English
This article sets a penalty of a fine of not less than SAR 5,000 and not more than SAR 20,000 for two acts committed within the Kingdom's ports or territorial waters:
1. Recovering wreckage: anyone who recovers any known maritime wreckage without prior permission from the relevant official bodies.
2. Boarding a ship: anyone who boards, or attempts to board, a ship that is:
- wrecked, or
- stranded, or
- in a state of danger,
without its master's permission.
According to Article 1, maritime wreckage includes any ship or part of it that has sunk or stranded in the Kingdom's maritime areas, or anything lost from it at sea and carried by the current into these waters, as well as a ship that is about to sink or is expected to sink or strand without effective measures to help it.
Note that in the first case permission comes from the official bodies, and in the second from the master, and that merely attempting to board is punishable.
Article 380 punishes a master who drops anchor in the separation zones of navigation lanes without an acceptable reason, and Article 382 punishes a crew member who causes a ship to be suspended or barred from sailing by statements proved to be untrue.
Practical example
A fisherman saw the remains of a known sunken boat near the coast of Al-Khobar and recovered equipment from it without prior permission from the relevant official bodies. He is punished with a fine of not less than SAR 5,000 and not more than SAR 20,000.
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 381 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
May the wreck of a sunken ship in Saudi waters be recovered?
No known maritime wreckage within the Kingdom's ports or territorial waters may be recovered without prior permission from the relevant official bodies, and a violator is punished with a fine of SAR 5,000 to 20,000.
Is someone who boards a stranded ship punished?
Yes, if he boards or attempts to board a wrecked, stranded or endangered ship within the ports or territorial waters without its master's permission.
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.