Article 74 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 74 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الأول: الحجز التحفظي
A precautionary attachment may be imposed on a ship only by a court order from the competent court, a report is drawn up, and it may be imposed only to satisfy a maritime debt.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يكون الحجز التحفظي على السفينة بأمر قضائي من المحكمة المختصة، ويحرر محضر بذلك، ولا يوقع هذا الحجز إلا وفاءً لدين بحري.
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 74 explained in plain English
This article sets the basic rules for the precautionary attachment of ships, which are three:
- The court order: a ship may not be placed under precautionary attachment except by a court order from the competent court, so a creditor cannot attach it himself.
- The report: a report of the attachment is drawn up.
- The maritime debt: this attachment is imposed only to satisfy a maritime debt, so an ordinary debt owed by the owner is not enough.
Article 75 specifies the debts that count as maritime, including damage resulting from collision or pollution, contracts for the use or charter of the ship, the wages of the master and crew, the supply of materials needed to operate and maintain the ship, port dues, insurance of the ship, and others.
A precautionary attachment is a measure that prevents the ship from sailing pending a ruling on the debt, so the Law limited it to debts connected with maritime activity to protect the movement of navigation. A person owed a debt by a ship who wishes to attach it, or whose ship has been attached, is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
A supply company in Yanbu supplied a ship with maintenance materials and was not paid. The company may ask the competent court for an order of precautionary attachment of the ship because the debt arises from the supply of materials needed for its maintenance, and a report of the attachment is drawn up.
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 74 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
May a ship be attached without a court order?
No. A precautionary attachment of a ship is by a court order from the competent court.
May a ship be attached for any debt of its owner?
No. A precautionary attachment is imposed only to satisfy a maritime debt, and Article 75 specifies the grounds of maritime debts.
More articles on Precautionary and Executory Attachment of Ships
- Article 44
The article provides that if shares representing more than half the ship are attached, the judicial sale covers the whole ship, though the court may limit it to the attached shares for serious reasons at the request of an owner whose shares were not attached.
إذا وقع الحجز على حصص تمثل أكثر من نصف السفينة شمل البيع القضائي السفينة بأكملها. ومع ذلك يجوز أن تأمر المحكمة -بناءً على طلب أحد المالكين الذين لم يحجز على حصص
- Article 67
Mortgagee creditors may pursue the mortgaged ship into any hands and apply for a precautionary attachment, and the ship may not be disposed of once the attachment report is registered in the ship register.
الدائنون المرتهنون لسفينة، أو لجزء منها، يتتبعونها في أي يد كانت، ولهم حق التقدم بطلب الحجز التحفظي عليها، ولا يجوز التصرف في السفينة المرهونة بعد قيد محضر حجزه
- Article 68
If half of the ship or less is mortgaged, the creditor may attach and sell only the mortgaged part; if more than half, the court may order the sale of the whole ship, and co-owners must be notified fifteen days before the sale.
1- إذا كان الرهن واقعاً على جزء لا يزيد على نصف السفينة فليس للدائن إلا حجز هذا الجزء وبيعه، وإذا كان الرهن واقعاً على أكثر من نصف السفينة جاز للمحكمة -بناء على
- Article 69
Carrying out a court order for the sale of the ship clears it of all mortgages, and the rights of mortgagee creditors shift from the ship to its price.
يترتب على تنفيذ الأمر القضائي بالبيع تطهير السفينة من جميع الرهون، وتنتقل حقوق الدائنين إلى الثمن.
- Article 70
If ownership of the mortgaged ship has passed before the attachment report is registered, the creditor notifies the possessor of the attachment and demands the price; the possessor may avoid attachment and sale by notifying the registered creditors within the period and stating his readiness to pay.
1- إذا انتقلت ملكية السفينة المرهونة، أو بعضها -قبل قيد محضر الحجز- فعلى الدائن المرتهن الذي اتخذ إجراءات التنفيذ على السفينة أن يبلغ الحائز للسفينة بمحضر الحجز
- Article 71
When ownership of a mortgaged ship has passed under Article 70, each creditor may request its sale by judgment of the competent court with a guarantee for the price and expenses, and the request is notified to the possessor within ten days.
1- يجوز لكل دائن في الحالة المبينة في المادة (السبعين) أن يطلب بيع السفينة أو جزء منها بحكمٍ من المحكمة المختصة، مع تقديم كفالة بالثمن والمصروفات، وتكليف الحائز
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.