Article 40 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 40 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الأول: الاستيراد: 1- النقل بحراً
Goods may not be unloaded or dropped from aircraft in flight except where needed for safety purposes, with notice to the customs district, subject to special provisions in other relevant laws.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز تفريغ البضائع أو إلقاؤها من الطائرات أثناء الطيران ، إلا إذا كان ذلك لازما لأغراض السلامة ، على أن يتم إبلاغ الدائرة الجمركية بذلك ، مع مراعاة الأحكام الخاصة الواردة في القوانين الأخرى ذات العلاقة .
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 40 explained in plain English
This article sets a prohibition on unloading or dropping goods from aircraft in flight, which protects customs control against goods being brought in without passing through the customs districts.
The only exception: if unloading or dropping is necessary for safety purposes, for example where the safety of the aircraft or its passengers is endangered.
The condition of the exception: that the customs district be notified of it. The article does not specify when or in what form.
Subject to other laws: the article provides that the special provisions in other relevant laws, such as civil aviation regulations, are to be observed, and does not state their content, so there may be additional requirements that this text does not replace.
The purpose is that all goods arriving by air pass customs control on arrival, rather than being unloaded anywhere during the flight. Article 41 regulates what the owners of means of transport must do on leaving the State. Anyone facing liability because of dropping a load is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in customs and commercial matters.
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 40 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
May goods be dropped from an aircraft?
No, except where needed for safety purposes, with notice to the customs district.
Is notifying customs enough when disposing of cargo for safety reasons?
The article requires notice, subject to the special provisions in other relevant laws.
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 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
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.