Article 44 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 44 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الأول: بناء السفينة وملكيتها
The article provides that if shares representing more than half the ship are attached, the judicial sale covers the whole ship, though the court may limit it to the attached shares for serious reasons at the request of an owner whose shares were not attached.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا وقع الحجز على حصص تمثل أكثر من نصف السفينة شمل البيع القضائي السفينة بأكملها. ومع ذلك يجوز أن تأمر المحكمة -بناءً على طلب أحد المالكين الذين لم يحجز على حصصهم- بقصر البيع على الحصص المحجوز عليها إذا وُجدت أسباب جدية تسوغ هذا الطلب.
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 44 explained in plain English
This article addresses attachment of shares in a jointly owned ship and its effect on the judicial sale.
The rule: if the attachment falls on shares representing more than half the ship, the judicial sale covers the whole ship, including the shares of owners whose shares were not attached.
The exception: the court may order the sale limited to the attached shares only, on two conditions:
- That this is at the request of one of the owners whose shares were not attached.
- That there are serious reasons justifying the request.
In practical terms, a partner who owes no debt may find his share offered for judicial sale with the whole ship if the attachment covers more than half of it. To protect himself, he may ask the court to limit the sale to the attached shares, and it falls to him to show the serious reasons for that, with the assessment being for the court.
The article does not address attachment of half or less. A person who finds their share in a ship threatened with judicial sale because of a partner's debts would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in commercial or enforcement cases.
Practical example
The shares of two partners who together own 70% of a ship are attached because of their debts. The judicial sale covers the whole ship, but the holder of the 30% whose shares were not attached may ask the court to limit the sale to the attached shares if he shows serious reasons.
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 44 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Is the whole ship sold if one partner's share is attached?
If the attachment falls on shares representing more than half the ship, the judicial sale covers the whole ship.
Can the non-debtor partner protect his share?
At his request, the court may order the sale limited to the attached shares if there are serious reasons justifying that.
More articles on Ship Construction and Co-Ownership
- Article 31
The article requires a ship construction contract, and any amendment to it, to be proved in writing, and the contract is valid only if signed by its parties.
يثبت عقد بناء السفينة وأي تعديل يطرأ عليه بالكتابة، ولا يكون صحيحاً إلا بتوقيع أطرافه عليه.
- Article 32
The article provides that ownership of the ship remains with the builder and passes to the party ordering it only on accepting delivery after trials, unless agreed otherwise.
تبقى ملكية السفينة لمتعهد البناء، ولا تنتقل ملكيتها إلى طالب البناء إلا بقبول تسلمها بعد تجربتها، ما لم يتفق على غير ذلك.
- Article 33
The article makes the ship builder guarantee that the ship is free of hidden defects, even if the party ordering it accepted delivery after trials.
يضمن متعهد بناء السفينة خلوها من العيوب الخفية، وإن قبل طالب البناء تسلم السفينة بعد تجربتها.
- Article 34
The article provides that a suit for guarantee of hidden defects is not heard after one year from the date of learning of the defect.
لا تسمع دعوى ضمان العيوب الخفية بعد مضي سنة من تاريخ العلم بالعيب.
- Article 35
The article extends the hidden-defect guarantee and the one-year period from learning of the defect, set in Articles 33 and 34, to ship repair contracts.
تسري أحكام المادتين (الثالثة والثلاثين) و(الرابعة والثلاثين) على عقود إجراء إصلاحات السفينة.
- Article 36
The article requires acts creating, transferring or ending ownership of a ship or other real rights in it to be proved by an official document, otherwise void, and they are effective against third parties only once entered in the ship's register.
1- تُثبت التصرفات التي يكون موضوعها إنشاء حق الملكية أو نقله أو انقضاءه، أو غير ذلك من الحقوق العينية على السفينة؛ بمحرر رسمي، وإلاَّ كانت باطلة. وإذا وقعت هذه
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.