Article 53 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 53 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: حقوق الامتياز على السفينة
The article provides that maritime liens follow the ship into whoever's hands it passes.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تتبع حقوق الامتياز السفينة في أي يد كانت.
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 53 explained in plain English
This short article states what is called the right of pursuit: maritime liens follow the ship into whoever's hands it passes.
Meaning: the transfer of the ship to another person, by sale or otherwise, does not extinguish the liens on it. The privileged creditor can assert his lien on the ship even if it has passed to a new owner.
In practical terms:
- For the privileged creditor: his right is not lost merely because the ship's owner sold it to someone else.
- For the buyer of the ship: the ship may pass to him burdened with liens in favor of earlier creditors, so it is important to learn what privileged debts are on the ship before buying.
This article does not address how a lien ends, which is regulated by Article 54, which mentions among other things sale by public auction, judicial or voluntary, under conditions and after a certain period has passed. The right of pursuit remains in place unless one of the grounds of extinction occurs.
A person about to buy a used ship would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases to verify the rights encumbering it.
Practical example
A ship owner sold his ship to a new buyer, and the ship had unpaid sailors' wages from an earlier voyage. The sailors' lien follows the ship into the new buyer's hands.
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 53 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Do privileged debts on a ship lapse if it is sold?
No. Maritime liens follow the ship into whoever's hands it passes.
Does the buyer of a ship bear the privileged debts on it?
Liens follow the ship into the buyer's hands, so the privileged creditor can assert them against the ship.
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 48
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.
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
- 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
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.