Article 99 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
المادة 99 من النظام البحري التجاري · الفصل الأول: المالك والمجهز
The rules on limiting the ship owner's liability apply to the operator, charterer, manager of a jointly owned ship, insurer and salvage service providers, and to the master and subordinates even if personally at fault; relying on them is not an admission.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تسري أحكام تحديد مسؤولية مالك السفينة على المجهز غير المالك، والمستأجر، ومدير الشيوع البحري، والمؤمن، والأشخاص الذين قاموا بخدمات لها صلة مباشرة بعمليات إنقاذ السفينة، وتسري أحكام تحديد المسؤولية على الربان والبحارة وغيرهم من التابعين، وذلك فيما يتعلق بتأدية وظائفهم، على ألاّ تتجاوز مسؤولية المالك ومسؤولية التابع عن الحادث الواحد الحدود المنصوص عليها في اللوائح.
2- إذا أقيمت دعوى على الربان أو البحارة أو غيرهم من التابعين، جاز لهم تحديد مسؤوليتهم ولو كان الحادث الذي نشأ عنه الضرر يرجع إلى خطأ شخصي صادر منهم بصفتهم المذكورة.
3- لا يُعد التمسك بتحديد المسؤولية إقراراً بالمسؤولية.
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 99 explained in plain English
This article widens the circle of those who benefit from the limitation of liability established for the ship's owner.
First: the beneficiaries. The rules on limitation apply to:
- The non-owner operator, the charterer, the manager of a jointly owned ship, and the insurer.
- Persons who performed services directly connected with salvage operations of the ship.
- The master, the seamen and other subordinates, in connection with the performance of their duties.
The liability of the owner and that of the subordinate together for a single incident must not exceed the limits provided in the regulations; the article does not state these limits.
Second: personal fault of subordinates. If an action is brought against the master, the seamen or other subordinates, they may limit their liability even if the incident was due to their personal fault in that capacity.
Third: relying on limitation of liability is not an admission of liability; the defendant may deny liability altogether and rely on limitation in the alternative.
This is linked to Article 98, under which a liability action against the ship's owner is not heard after two years from the act giving rise to it, without prejudice to rights of death and bodily injury. Consult a lawyer who specializes in maritime and commercial law to assess whether these rules apply.
Practical example
An action was brought against a ship's master over an incident resulting from his personal fault while navigating the ship. He may rely on limitation of his liability, and relying on it is not an admission by him that he is liable.
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 99 of the Saudi Commercial Maritime Law
Does the charterer of a ship benefit from limitation of liability?
Yes. The rules on limiting the ship owner's liability apply to the charterer, the non-owner operator, the manager of a jointly owned ship, the insurer and salvage service providers.
Can the master limit his liability if he was personally at fault?
Yes. The master, the seamen and subordinates may limit their liability even if the incident was due to their personal fault in that capacity.
Is relying on limitation of liability an admission of it?
No. The article provides that relying on limitation of liability is not an admission of liability.
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 95
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.
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
- 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
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.