Article 95 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 95 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الأول: المالك والمجهز
A ship's owner may not limit his liability for intentional damage or reckless neglect with awareness of damage, salvage and general average claims, the rights of crew members and their heirs, and pollution damage.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز لمالك السفينة تحديد مسؤوليته وفقاً لحكم المادة (الرابعة والتسعين) إذا كانت الدعوى ناشئة عن أحد الأسباب الآتية:
1- الضرر الناشئ عن فعلٍ أو امتناعٍ عن فعل صدر من مالك السفينة أو نائبه بقصد إحداث الضرر، أو عن إهمال مصحوب بإدراك أن ضرراً يمكن أن يحدث.
2- الالتزامات الناشئة عن المساعدة، أو الإنقاذ، أو الإسهام في الخسائر البحرية المشتركة.
3- حقوق الربان أو البحارة أو أي تابع آخر لمالك السفينة موجود عليها أو يتعلق عمله بخدمتها، وكذلك حقوق ورثة هؤلاء الأشخاص وخلفائهم.
4- الضرر الناشئ عن التلوث بالنفط أو غيره من المواد الأخرى.
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 95 explained in plain English
This article sets exceptions to the ship owner's right to limit his liability established in Article 94. He may not limit it if the claim arises from:
- Intentional damage or gross neglect: an act or omission by the owner or his representative done with intent to cause damage, or neglect accompanied by awareness that damage could occur.
- Obligations arising from assistance, salvage or contribution to general average.
- The rights of the master or seamen or of any other employee of the owner who is on the ship or whose work relates to its service, and the rights of their heirs and successors.
- Damage arising from pollution by oil or other substances.
In these cases the owner cannot rely on the ceiling of liability, and he is liable for compensation under the rules governing each case.
The reason is clear: a person who intends damage does not deserve protection, the rights of the crew and salvage rewards carry special considerations, and pollution affects the public interest. Article 96 deals with the effect of set-off on limitation. Anyone facing a claim of these kinds should consult a lawyer who specializes in maritime and commercial law.
Practical example
Fuel leaked from a ship moored near the Jeddah coast and polluted a fishing area. When the ship's owner is sued for compensation, he may not rely on limitation of liability, because the damage arises from oil pollution.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCivil Litigation & Compensation lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Abdullah Al-Saleh Law Office for Law and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 95 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Can a ship owner limit his liability for oil pollution?
No. Damage arising from pollution by oil or other substances is one of the cases in which limitation is not permitted.
Does limitation of liability apply to seamen's wages and dues?
No. The rights of the master, the seamen and any other employee of the owner on the ship or in its service, and the rights of their heirs, are excepted from limitation.
What if the owner intended the damage?
He may not limit his liability if the damage arose from an act or omission by him or his representative with intent to cause damage, or from neglect accompanied by awareness that damage could occur.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Liability of the Ship Owner and Operator
- Article 92
The ship's owner or operator is civilly liable for the acts of the master, the seamen, the pilot and all persons in the ship's service committed in the course of or because of their duties, and for the master's contracts within his powers.
يسأل مالك السفينة أو مجهزها مدنيًّا عن أفعال الربان والبحارة والمرشد وأي شخص آخر في خدمة السفينة إذا وقعت منهم أثناء تأدية وظائفهم أو بسببها، ويُسأل أيضاً عن ال
- 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.
- Article 94
The article sets out the six kinds of claims in which a ship's owner may limit his liability, such as death, injury, loss of property, damage to port installations, delay and wreck removal.
لمالك السفينة أن يحدد مسؤوليته إذا كانت الدعوى ناشئة عن أحد الأسباب الآتية: 1- الوفاة أو الإصابة التي تلحق الأشخاص الموجودين على متن السفينة بقصد نقلهم، والهلاك
- Article 96
Limitation of liability applies to the balance after set-off between the owner's debt and the creditor's debt from the same incident, and execution against the owner's property is barred if the compensation sum is placed at the creditor's disposal or an acceptable guarantee is provided.
1- إذا نشأ لمالك السفينة المدين دين قبل أحد الدائنين في حادث واحد، فلا يسري تحديد المسؤولية إلا بالنسبة إلى المبلغ الباقي بعد إجراء المقاصة بين الدينين. 2- لا ي
- Article 97
If the ship's owner pays one of the debts before the compensation sums are distributed, he is subrogated to the creditor to the extent of what he paid, and the court may, at his request, hold back part of the sums for a debt he proves he may become liable for.
1- إذا وفى مالك السفينة أحد الديون التي يُجرى التوزيع بينها قبل توزيع المبالغ المخصصة للتعويضات، جاز له أن يحلّ محل صاحب الدين في التوزيع بمقدار المبلغ الذي وفا
- Article 98
No liability action against the ship's owner is heard after two years from the date of the act giving rise to the liability, without prejudice to rights arising from death or bodily injury.
مع عدم الإخلال بالحقوق الناشئة عن الوفاة أو الإصابة البدنية، لا تسمع الدعوى بالمسؤولية على مالك السفينة بعد مضي سنتين من تاريخ وقوع الفعل المنشئ للمسؤولية.
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.