Article 65 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 65 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثالث: الرهن البحري
A ship mortgage registration is kept until the end of its term or ten years from its making, whichever is earlier, and its effect is void if it is not renewed before the end of that period.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يحفظ قيد الرهن حتى انتهاء مدته أو لمدة عشر سنوات من تاريخ إجرائه -أيهما يحدث أولاً- ويبطل أثر هذا القيد إذا لم يجدد قبل نهاية هذه المدة.
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 65 explained in plain English
This article specifies how long the maritime mortgage registration remains effective. The registration is kept until the earlier of two dates:
- The end of the term of the mortgage itself.
- Or the passage of ten years from the date the registration was made.
Whichever occurs first ends the keeping period. If the registration is not renewed before the end of this period, its effect is void.
In practical terms, a mortgagee creditor whose debt runs for a long time must follow the date of his mortgage registration and renew it before the period expires, so as not to lose the registration's effect. This is linked to Article 66, which ranks debts secured by mortgages by the date of their registration, and to Article 64, which requires the name of the new creditor to be noted in the mortgage registration when his rights pass by endorsement.
The article does not state the renewal procedures; one refers to the regulations and the registration office. If there is doubt about the effect of a registration whose period has expired or about how to renew it, it is best to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
A bank registered a mortgage on a ship to secure a loan with a term of fifteen years. Because the registration is kept for ten years from the date it was made if that is earlier than the end of the mortgage, the bank must renew the registration before the ten years expire so that its effect does not become void.
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 65 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
How long is a ship mortgage registration valid?
The registration is kept until the end of the mortgage term or ten years from the date it was made, whichever occurs first.
What happens if a maritime mortgage registration is not renewed?
The effect of the registration is void if it is not renewed before the end of the specified period.
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.