Article 57 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 57 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: حقوق الامتياز على السفينة
The article gives the Authority the right to detain a wreck and sell it administratively at auction, with priority, to secure the costs of its removal, and gives a builder or repairer in possession of a ship the right to retain it until his claim is paid or the court orders its release.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- للهيئة حق حبس حطام السفينة؛ ضماناً لمصروفات إزالة الحطام، ولها بيعه إداريًّا في المزاد والحصول على دينها من الثمن بالأفضلية على أي دائن آخر.
2- لمتعهد بناء السفينة أو إصلاحها الذي لا تزال السفينة في حيازته حق حجزها؛ ضماناً لأي مطالبة تتعلق بعمل قام به للسفينة، إلى أن تسدد المطالبة، أو تصدر المحكمة أمراً بإطلاق سبيلها.
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 57 explained in plain English
This article provides two special rights:
1. The Authority's right over the wreck:
- The Authority, which is the Transport General Authority, may detain the wreck of a ship to secure the costs of removing it.
- It may sell it administratively at auction.
- It recovers its debt from the price with priority over any other creditor.
Under Article 1, a maritime wreck includes the ship or part of it that is sunk or stranded in the Kingdom's maritime areas, what was lost from it and carried by the current there, and a ship about to sink or run aground with no effective measures to assist it.
2. The right of the builder or repairer:
- A contractor who builds or repairs a ship and still has the ship in his possession has the right to retain it.
- To secure any claim relating to work he performed on the ship.
- Until the claim is paid, or the court orders its release.
In practical terms, a shipyard or repair workshop is not obliged to hand over the ship before being paid for the work it performed, provided the ship is still in its possession. A ship owner who considers the claim unfounded may apply to the court for the ship's release. A person with a dispute of this kind may consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases.
Practical example
A shipyard in Jeddah repaired the engine of a cargo ship and was not paid, and the ship is still in the yard. It is entitled to retain the ship until the claim is paid or the court orders its release.
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 57 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
May a ship repair workshop hold the ship until it is paid?
Yes. A builder or repairer who still has the ship in his possession has the right to retain it to secure his claim until it is paid or the court orders its release.
What is the Authority's right over a ship's wreck?
It may detain it to secure the costs of its removal, sell it administratively at auction, and recover its debt from the price with priority over any other creditor.
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.