Article 31 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 31 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الأول: الاستيراد: 1- النقل بحراً
Article 31 requires the cargo manifest of vessels that do not make regular voyages, have no shipping agent at the port, or are sailing vessels, to be endorsed by the customs of the port of loading.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا كان بيان الحمولة "المنافست" عائدا لسفينة لا تقوم برحلات منتظمة أو ليس لها وكيل ملاحة في الميناء، أو كانت من المراكب الشراعية، فيجب أن يكون مؤشرا عليه من السلطات الجمركية في ميناء الشحن.
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 31 explained in plain English
This article sets an additional requirement for the cargo manifest for certain categories of vessels. The manifest, as the Law defines it, is the document containing a comprehensive description of the goods loaded on the means of transport.
The categories covered:
- A vessel that does not make regular voyages.
- A vessel that has no shipping agent at the port.
- Sailing vessels.
The rule: the manifest of these vessels must be endorsed by the customs authorities at the port of loading, that is, the port from which the goods were loaded.
This rule complements Article 30, which requires every good arriving by sea to be recorded in the manifest, signed by the vessel's master and containing the vessel's name, the types of goods, the number of packages, the names of the shipper and the consignee and the ports of loading, and submitted to the customs district within 36 hours of the vessel entering the port. Endorsement by the customs of the port of loading is an additional safeguard for the accuracy of the statement where there are no regular voyages or a known agent at the port.
Anyone dealing in shipping by sailing vessels or irregular vessels is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
Practical example
A sailing vessel carries goods from a foreign port to Dammam port. Its master must carry a manifest endorsed by the customs authorities at the port of loading from which the goods were loaded.
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 31 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
What is meant by endorsing the manifest at the port of loading?
That the customs authorities at the port from which the goods were shipped endorse the cargo manifest.
Does the rule cover all vessels?
No. It covers vessels that do not make regular voyages, or that have no shipping agent at the port, and sailing vessels.
More articles on Cargo Manifest, Imports and Exports
- Article 20
Article 20 prohibits sea transport vessels entering the State from anchoring anywhere other than ports prepared to receive them, except in an emergency maritime circumstance or force majeure, and requires the master to notify the nearest customs district or security post without delay.
يحظر على وسائل النقل البحرية التي تدخل الدولة مهما كانت حمولتها الاستيعابية أن ترسو في غير الموانئ المعدة لاستقبالها، إلا في ظرف بحري طارئ أو بسبب قوة قاهرة، وع
- Article 30
Article 30 requires every good arriving by sea to be recorded in the cargo manifest, signed by the master and containing specified details, and presented with other documents within thirty-six hours of entering the port.
أ - تسجل في بيان الحمولة "المنافست" كل بضاعة ترد إلى الدولة عن طريق البحر. ب - يجب أن ينظم بكل الحمولة بيان واحد يوقعه ربان السفينة، متضمنا المعلومات التالية :
- Article 32
Ships' cargo may not be unloaded except in the customs district at the port and under its supervision, and unloading and transfer between ships are carried out under the Director General's conditions.
أ - لا يجوز تفريغ حمولة السفن وجميع وسائط النقل المائية الأخرى إلا في الدائرة الجمركية في الميناء. ولا يجوز تفريغ أي بضاعة أو نقلها من سفينة إلى أخرى إلا تحت إش
- Article 33
The ship's master, agent or representative is liable for shortages in packages, their contents or bulk goods until the goods are received at the warehouses, storage facilities or by their owners, subject to Article 54.
يكون ربان السفينة أو وكيلها أو من يمثله مسؤولا عن النقص في عدد القطع أو الطرود، أو في محتوياتها، أو في مقدار البضائع الفرط، إلى حين استلام البضائع في المخازن ال
- Article 34
If the packages unloaded or bulk goods fall short of the manifest, the master states the reason and proves with documents that it occurred outside the maritime customs zone, and may be given up to six months against a guarantee.
إذا تحقق نقص في عدد القطع أو الطرود المفرغة عما هو مدرج في بيان الحمولة "المنافست" أو في مقدار البضائع الفرط، فعلى ربان السفينة أو من يمثله بيان سبب هذا النقص و
- Article 35
Customs procedures for goods arriving by land are completed at the first customs district, and they may be referred to an inland customs district in the cases the Director General sees fit.
البضائع الواردة برا يجب إتمام إجراءاتها الجمركية في أول دائرة جمركية، ويجوز إحالتها لإحدى الدوائر الجمركية الداخلية في الحالات التي يراها المدير العام.
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.