Article 48 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 48 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: حقوق الامتياز على السفينة
The article specifies the property that the Article 46 liens attach to: the ship, the freight of the voyage that gave rise to the debt, and their accessories, with a special rule for the paragraph 3 lien.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تترتب حقوق الامتياز المنصوص عليها في المادة (السادسة والأربعين) على السفينة، وأجرة النقل الخاصة بالرحلة التي نشأ عنها الدين، وعلى ملحقات كل من السفينة، وأجرة النقل المكتسبة منذ بدء الرحلة.
2- يترتب حق الامتياز المنصوص عليه في الفقرة (3) من المادة (السادسة والأربعين) على أجور النقل المستحقة على جميع الرحلات التي تتم خلال عقد عمل واحد.
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 48 explained in plain English
After Article 46 listed the privileged debts, this article specifies the property on which the lien attaches:
1. The general rule: liens attach to:
- The ship.
- The freight of the voyage that gave rise to the debt.
- The accessories of both the ship and the freight, acquired since the start of the voyage.
2. A special rule: the lien in paragraph (3) of Article 46, namely fees and taxes due to the State, port, pilotage and towage dues, and the costs of pursuit, follow-up, guarding, maintenance and other maritime services, attaches to the freight due for all voyages made under a single employment contract, according to the text of the paragraph.
In practical terms, the privileged creditor's right is not limited to the hull of the ship; it extends to the freight of the voyage that gave rise to his debt and to their accessories. The special rule in paragraph 2 widens the scope of the lien from one voyage to all voyages made under a single employment contract, for the debt specified there.
A person holding a privileged debt on a ship who wants to determine which assets he may enforce against may consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases.
Practical example
A cargo ship collided with a port quay during a particular voyage. Compensation for the damage is a privileged debt, and the lien attaches to the ship and to the freight of that voyage and their accessories.
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 48 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
What does a maritime lien attach to?
The ship, the freight of the voyage that gave rise to the debt, and the accessories of both the ship and the freight acquired since the start of the voyage.
Does the lien extend to the freight of more than one voyage?
Paragraph 2 provides that the lien in paragraph 3 of Article 46 attaches to the freight due for all voyages made under a single employment contract.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Maritime Liens and Mortgages
- Article 46
The article lists the debts that carry a maritime lien on the ship, from court costs and crew employment debts to fees, salvage rewards, compensation and the master's contract debts.
تشمل حقوق الامتياز على السفينة ما يأتي: 1- المصروفات القضائية التي أنفقت لحفظ السفينة وبيعها وتوزيع ثمنها. 2- الديون الناشئة عن عقد عمل الربان والبحارة وغيرهم م
- Article 47
The article provides that maritime liens on a ship are not subject to any formality or any special requirement of proof.
لا تخضع حقوق الامتياز لأي إجراء شكلي، أو لأي شرط خاص بالإثبات.
- Article 49
The article defines what counts as accessories of the ship and the freight subject to the lien, such as compensation for unrepaired damage and salvage rewards; passenger fares count as freight; insurance compensation and State subsidies are excluded.
1- يعد من ملحقات السفينة وأجرة النقل المنصوص عليها في الفقرة (1) من المادة (الثامنة والأربعين) ما يأتي: أ- التعويضات المستحقة للمالك عن الأضرار المادية التي لحق
- Article 50
The article provides that the lien on freight remains as long as the freight is payable or is held by the master or the owner's representative, and likewise the lien on the accessories of the ship and the freight.
يبقى حق الامتياز على أجرة النقل قائماً ما دامت الأجرة مستحقة الدفع، أو كانت تحت يد الربان أو ممثل المالك، وكذلك الحال بالنسبة إلى الامتياز على ملحقات السفينة وم
- Article 51
The article sets the ranking of liens for a single voyage in the order of Article 46, with proportional sharing within one paragraph, reverse chronological order for paragraphs (4) and (6), and one date for rights arising from one incident.
1- تُرتب حقوق الامتياز المتعلقة برحلة واحدة وفقاً للترتيب الوارد في المادة (السادسة والأربعين) من النظام. 2- تكون للحقوق المذكورة في كل فقرة من المادة (السادسة
- Article 52
The article provides that liens arising from any voyage rank ahead of those arising from an earlier voyage, and that liens arising from a single employment contract covering several voyages share one rank.
1- حقوق الامتياز الناشئة عن أي رحلة تتقدم حقوق الامتياز الناشئة عن رحلة سابقة. 2- حقوق الامتياز الناشئة عن عقد عمل واحد يتعلق بعدة رحلات تكون كلها في مرتبة واحد
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.