Article 90 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 90 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الثاني: الحجز التنفيذي والبيع الجبري
Claims of entitlement and nullity of attachment are filed with the court conducting the sale at least forty-eight hours before the auction, do not stop the sale except by court order, and the judgment may be appealed within fifteen days.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
دعاوى الاستحقاق وبطلان الحجز يجب تقديمها إلى المحكمة التي تُجري البيع قبل اليوم المحدد لإجراء المزايدة بثمانٍ وأربعين ساعة على الأقل، ولا يترتب على تقديم هذه الدعاوى وقف إجراءات البيع ما لم تأمر المحكمة بوقفه، ويجوز الطعن في الحكم الصادر في هذه الدعاوى خلال خمسة عشر يوماً من تاريخ صدوره.
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 90 explained in plain English
This article regulates two kinds of action that may be filed during the compulsory sale proceedings of a ship:
- An action of entitlement: filed by a person who claims to hold the right to the attached ship or part of it.
- An action for nullity of the attachment: a challenge to the validity of the attachment itself.
The article sets three rules for these actions:
- Timing and court: they are filed with the court conducting the sale at least forty-eight hours before the day fixed for the auction.
- No automatic stay: filing them does not stop the sale proceedings unless the court orders a stay.
- Appeal: the judgment issued in them may be appealed within fifteen days of its issuance.
The aim is to prevent the sale from being disrupted by last-minute actions. It is linked to Article 89, which limits challenges to the judgment awarding the auction to defects of procedure or form. Anyone with a right in a ship offered for sale should consult a lawyer who specializes in enforcement and maritime law without delay.
Practical example
A company claims it bought a ship before it was attached, and it learns the date of its auction. It must file the action of entitlement with the court conducting the sale at least forty-eight hours before the auction, and the sale will not stop unless the court so orders.
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 90 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
When is an action for nullity of the attachment of a ship filed?
At least forty-eight hours before the day fixed for the auction, before the court conducting the sale.
Does the auction stop as soon as an action of entitlement is filed?
No, unless the court orders the sale proceedings stayed.
What is the time limit for appealing the judgment in these actions?
Fifteen days from the date of its issuance.
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.