Article 33 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 33 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الأول: الاستيراد: 1- النقل بحراً
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 الجمركية، أو في المستودعات، أو من قبل أصحابها عندما يسمح لهم بذلك، مع مراعاة أحكام المادة (54) من هذا النظام "القانون".
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 33 explained in plain English
This article specifies who bears liability for shortages in goods arriving by sea, and how long that liability lasts.
The person liable: the ship's master, or its agent, or whoever represents him.
The types of shortage covered:
- A shortage in the number of pieces or packages.
- A shortage in the contents of packages.
- A shortage in the quantity of bulk goods (unpacked).
The duration of liability: it continues until the goods are received at the customs warehouses, or at the storage facilities, or by their owners when they are permitted to do so.
Subject to Article 54: the article makes this liability subject to the provisions of Article 54, which distributes responsibility for shortages in package contents at inspection: if the packages entered the warehouses in apparently sound condition and it is confirmed that the shortage occurred in the country of export before shipment, pursuit is dropped; if they entered in apparently unsound condition, this is recorded in the receipt report and responsibility falls on the carrier unless there is a reservation endorsed by the customs of the country of export on the manifest; and if sound packages became the subject of suspicion after entering the warehouses, responsibility falls on the body responsible for the storage facilities.
Article 34 shows what the master must do when a shortage is established. In disputes about shortages it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
Practical example
A ship arrives at King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam with 500 packages on its manifest, and only 490 are unloaded. The master or agent is liable for the missing packages as long as the goods have not yet been received at the warehouses or storage facilities or by their owners.
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 33 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Who is responsible for a shortage in goods shipped by sea?
The ship's master, agent or representative, subject to the provisions of Article 54.
When does the master's liability for a shortage end?
When the goods are received at the customs warehouses or storage facilities or by their owners when they are permitted to do so.
Is the master also liable for a shortage in package contents?
Yes. The liability covers the shortage in the number of packages, in their contents and in the quantity of bulk goods.
Articles this article refers to
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 31
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.
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 الس
- 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 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.