Article 6 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 6 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: جنسية السفينة
Article 6 limits towing, pilotage, supply services in the Kingdom's maritime zones and coastal transport between its ports to Saudi ships, and lets the Chairman exempt other ships by a license for a set period.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز لغير السفن السعودية ممارسة نشاط القَطْر أو الإرشاد أو القيام بخدمات التموين في مناطق المملكة البحرية، ولا يجوز لها مزاولة أعمال النقل الساحلي بين موانئ المملكة. وللرئيس استثناء الترخيص لهذه السفن بالقيام بعملٍ أو أكثر من تلك الأعمال, وذلك لمدة زمنية محددة.
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 6 explained in plain English
This article protects certain maritime activities for Saudi ships, and prevents ships other than Saudi ships from:
- Towing in the Kingdom's maritime zones.
- Pilotage in the Kingdom's maritime zones.
- Supply services in the Kingdom's maritime zones.
- Coastal transport between the Kingdom's ports.
The exception: the Chairman may, by way of exception, license these ships to carry out one or more of those activities, for a specified period.
The practical meaning is that a foreign ship cannot, as a rule, carry goods or passengers from one Saudi port to another Saudi port, nor provide towing, pilotage or supply services within the Kingdom's maritime zones. If a party needs this, the way is to obtain an exceptional license from the Chairman, which is for a fixed period and not permanent.
The article is connected to Article 5, which requires every Saudi ship to fly the Kingdom's flag. The article does not specify the conditions or criteria for the exceptional license. Shipping companies planning to operate services in Saudi waters can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial cases.
Practical example
A foreign shipping company wants to operate a cargo line between the port of Dammam and the port of Jeddah. It may not do so unless it obtains an exceptional license from the Chairman for a specified period.
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 6 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
May a foreign ship carry goods between the Kingdom's ports?
No. Coastal transport between the Kingdom's ports is limited to Saudi ships, except by an exceptional license from the Chairman for a specified period.
May foreign ships provide towing or pilotage services?
Not in the Kingdom's maritime zones, except by an exceptional license from the Chairman for a specified period.
More articles on Scope of the Maritime Law and Ship Nationality
- Article 1
Article 1 defines 39 terms on which the Commercial Maritime Law is built, such as the ship, operator, carrier, shipper, bill of lading, master, seaman, marine insurance, wreck and unit of account.
لأغراض هذا النظام, يقصد بالمصطلحات الآتية المعنى المبين أمام كل منها, ما لم يقتضِ السياق خلاف ذلك: 1- النظام: النظام البحري التجاري. 2- الوزير: وزير النقل، رئيس
- Article 2
Article 2 sets the scope of the Commercial Maritime Law: Saudi ships and foreign ships anchored in the Kingdom's ports or maritime zones, excluding warships and public service ships except for collision, salvage and general average.
تطبق أحكام هذا النظام على السفن السعودية, والسفن الأجنبية التي ترسو في موانئ المملكة أو مناطقها البحرية, وتستثنى من ذلك السفن الحربية, وسفن الخدمة العامة المخصص
- Article 3
Article 3 applies the rules on movable property to ships, subject to the provisions of the law, except the rule on acquiring movables by possession and anything covered by a special provision.
مع مراعاة الأحكام المنصوص عليها في النظام, تسري على السفينة أحكام المال المنقول عدا حكم تملكه بالحيازة, وما ورد في شأنه نص خاص.
- Article 4
Article 4 requires, for a ship to acquire Saudi nationality, registration in a Kingdom port and full ownership by a Saudi, or a Saudi majority of shares in co-ownership, and allows the Chairman to adjust the ownership percentage.
تكتسب السفينة الجنسية السعودية إذا كانت مسجلة في أحد موانئ المملكة، وكانت مملوكة بكاملها لشخص يتمتع بهذه الجنسية. وإذا كانت السفينة مملوكة على الشيوع اشترط أن ت
- Article 5
Article 5 requires every Saudi ship to fly the Kingdom's flag and permits flying another flag only where maritime custom allows, or to avoid certain danger or capture.
على كل سفينة سعودية أن ترفع علم المملكة, ولا يجوز لها أن ترفع علماً غيره إلاَّ في الحالات التي يجري فيها العرف البحري، أو إذا كان الغرض هو تجنب الوقوع في خطر مح
- Article 93
The liability of the ship's owner is limited in accordance with the international conventions on limitation of liability for maritime claims to which the Kingdom has acceded.
تحدد مسؤولية مالك السفينة طبقاً للاتفاقيات الدولية المتعلقة بتحديد المسؤولية عن المطالبات البحرية التي انضمت إليها المملكة.
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.