Article 182 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 182 من نظام العمل · الباب الحادي عشر: عقد العمل البحري
The article lets the shipowner end a seaman's contract without notice or compensation if the voyage is canceled before it begins for a reason beyond his control and pay was by the single voyage, unless agreed otherwise.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يجوز لصاحب العمل إنهاء العقد دون سبق إعلان وبغير تعويض إذا ألغيت الرحلة قبل بدئها بسبب ليس لمجهز السفينة إرادة فيه، وكان الأجر على أساس الرحلة الواحدة، ما لم ينص في العقد على غير ذلك.
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 182 explained in plain English
Article 182 deals with a special case in the maritime work contract: the voyage is canceled before it has even begun. In this case the Law gives the employer (the shipowner) the right to terminate the contract at once, without prior notice and without paying compensation to the seaman, but this right is restricted by conditions that must all be met together:
- Cancellation of the voyage before it begins: if the ship has actually set sail and then the voyage stops, this article does not apply.
- The reason for cancellation is beyond the shipowner's control: that is, a circumstance he did not choose and did not cause. If the cancellation is by his own voluntary decision, he does not benefit from this exemption.
- Pay is calculated on the basis of the single voyage: if the seaman receives monthly pay or pay on another basis, this article does not apply to him.
- The contract does not provide otherwise: the rule here supplements the will of the parties, and the contract may agree to give the seaman compensation or a notice period even in the case of compulsory cancellation.
In practice this means a seaman who contracted for a single voyage for lump-sum pay bears part of the risk of its cancellation if the cancellation is for a compulsory reason, unless he protects himself with an express clause in the contract.
Note that this exemption is limited to prior notice and compensation only, and the article does not mention an exemption from other obligations that follow the expiry or termination of the contract; Article 183 provides that on expiry or termination of the contract, the employer must return the seaman to the port from which he traveled when the contract began to be performed, and must provide for his food and lodging until he reaches that port. Article 181 also regulates the heirs' rights to the pay of a seaman who dies during the voyage, and it too distinguishes between monthly pay and pay calculated by the voyage, the same distinction on which Article 182 builds its rule.
The current text of the article was issued by Royal Decree No. M/44 dated 8/2/1446 AH, in effect from 20/8/1446 AH. If a seaman has a dispute about whether the above conditions are met or about interpreting the terms of his contract, it is best to consult a lawyer specialized in labor cases.
Practical example
Salem contracted with a shipping company in Jeddah to work as a seaman on a single voyage to a foreign port for lump-sum pay for the whole voyage, and the contract contained no clause about the case of canceling the voyage. Before the sailing date an official decision was issued closing the destination port, so the voyage was canceled before it began. Here the company may terminate Salem's contract at once without prior notice and without compensation, because the four conditions are met: cancellation before the voyage begins, for a reason beyond the shipowner's control, pay on the basis of the single voyage, and no contrary agreement. But if Salem worked for monthly pay, or if his contract contained a clause giving him compensation on cancellation of the voyage, this article would not apply to him.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 182 of the Saudi Labor Law
Is a seaman entitled to compensation if the voyage is canceled before it begins?
Under Article 182, he is not entitled to compensation or prior notice if the cancellation is for a reason beyond the shipowner's control and his pay is calculated on the basis of the single voyage, unless the contract provides otherwise.
Does Article 182 apply to a seaman who receives monthly pay?
No. The article expressly requires that the pay be on the basis of the single voyage, so it does not apply to one who receives monthly pay or pay on another basis.
What if the voyage was canceled by the employer's own decision?
The article requires that the reason for cancellation be beyond the shipowner's control, so if the cancellation is by his choice he does not benefit from the exemption from notice and compensation provided in this article.
Can the contract provide otherwise than Article 182?
Yes. The article ends with the phrase "unless the contract provides otherwise," so the parties may agree to give the seaman compensation or a notice period even when the voyage is canceled for a compulsory reason.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/44 — 8/2/1446 AH
In effect from 20/8/1446 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- صدر المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/44) وتاريخ 1446/2/8هـ، وذلك بالموافقة على تعديلات بعض مواد نظام العمل (ويعمل بها من تاريخ 1446/8/20هـ)
وعدلت هذه المادة لتكون بالنص الآتي: "يجوز لصاحب العمل إنهاء العقد دون سبق إعلان وبغير تعويض إذا ألغيت الرحلة قبل بدئها بسبب ليس لمجهز السفينة إرادة فيه، وكان الأجر على أساس الرحلة الواحدة، ما لم ينص في العقد على غير ذلك".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يجوز لصاحب العمل إنهاء العقد دون سبق إعلان وبغير تعويض في الحالات الآتية:
1 - إذا غرقت السفينة، أو صودرت، أو فقدت، أو أصبحت غير صالحة للاستعمال.
2 - إذا ألغيت الرحلة في بدئها بسبب ليس لمجهز السفينة إرادة فيه، وكان الأجر على أساس الرحلة الواحدة، ما لم ينص في العقد على غير ذلك.
More articles on Terminating the Employment Contract
- Article 57
Article 57 provides that an employment contract concluded to perform a specific job ends automatically once the agreed work is completed.
إذا كان العقد من أجل القيام بعمل معين فإنه ينتهي بإنجاز العمل المتفق عليه.
- Article 64Amended (1436 AH)
Article 64 requires the employer, on the end of the contract, to give the worker a free service certificate free of anything harmful to them, and to return all certificates and documents they deposited with it.
يلتزم صاحب العمل عند انتهاء عقد العمل بما يأتي : 1 - أن يعطي العامل – بناءً على طلبه – شهادة خدمة دون مقابل، يوضح فيها تاريخ التحاقه بالعمل، وتاريخ انتهاء علاقت
- Article 66
Article 66 sets out exhaustively the six disciplinary sanctions an employer may impose on a worker, from a warning to dismissal in the cases set in the Law.
الجزاءات التأديبية التي يجوز لصاحب العمل توقيعها على العامل: 1 - الإنذار. 2 - الغرامة. 3 - الحرمان من العلاوة أو تأجيلها لمدة لا تزيد على سنة متى كانت مقررة من
- Article 74Amended by M/44
Article 74 lists the cases in which an employment contract ends, including written agreement of the parties, expiry of the term, resignation, reaching retirement age, force majeure, permanent closure of the establishment, and bankruptcy.
ينتهي عقد العمل في أي من الأحوال الآتية : 1 - إذا اتفق الطرفان على إنهائه، بشرط أن تكون موافقة العامل كتابية. 2 - إذا انتهت المدة المحددة في العقد، ما لم يكن ال
- Article 75Amended by M/44
Article 75 sets the written notice period for ending an open-ended contract for a legitimate reason: 60 days from the employer and 30 days from the worker if wages are monthly, and 30 days for both otherwise.
1- إذا كان العقد غير محدد المدة وكان الأجر يدفع شهريًّا، جاز لأي من طرفيه إنهاؤه بناءً على سبب مشروع، وفق ما يلي: أ- إذا كان الإنهاء من طرف العامل، فيجب عليه أن
- Article 76Amended (1436 AH)
Whoever ends an open-ended contract without observing the notice period in Article 75 must pay the other party a sum equal to the worker's wage for that period, unless they agree on more.
إذا لم يراع الطرف الذي أنهى العقد غير المحدد المدة المهلة المحدد للإشعار وفقاً للمادة (الخامسة والسبعين) من هذا النظام، فإنه يلتزم بأن يدفع للطرف الآخر عن مهلة
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.