Article 173 of the Saudi Labor Law

Article 173 of the Labor Law sets the minimum conditions that must be met by anyone appointed as a seaman on board a ship under the maritime work contract regulated by Part Eleven. These conditions are three, all required together; meeting some without the others is not enough:

1. Age: the worker must have completed 18 years of age when working as a seaman. This is a condition specific to maritime work that takes into account the nature of service on ships and its risks.
2. Qualification: he must hold a certificate that allows him to work in maritime service. The article does not specify the type of certificate or the body that issues it, so the competent authorities and the relevant laws are referred to.
3. Medical fitness: he must be medically fit to work at sea. The article does not explain how fitness is proven, a matter regulated by the competent authorities.

Whom does this text address? The employer or shipowner is bound not to employ anyone as a seaman unless these conditions are met, and the text also protects the worker himself from being assigned maritime work that does not suit his age, health or qualification.

How does it relate to the neighboring articles? This article comes after Article 172, which requires work rules and conditions to be announced on board the ship (duties, wages, working hours, treatment, leave and the end-of-service award), and before Article 174, which regulates paying the seaman's entitlements in the official currency and permits paying them in foreign currency outside territorial waters with his consent. Article 173 determines who may be a party to this contract as a seaman, and the following articles then regulate his rights and how they are performed.

If you are a worker or an employer and face a dispute about whether one of these conditions is met or the effect of its absence on the contract, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases, because the article itself does not state the consequence of breaching it.