Saudi Arabia through its government maintains an advanced system of maritime laws to regulate the maritime industry. Through Royal Decree No. M/33 in 2018 the law delivers an extensive collection of maritime industry regulations and definitions which govern the country. The key element of this law includes creating the Public Transport Authority as the organization responsible for executing and enforcing the Commercial Maritime Law. The Chairman of the Authority regulates the maritime spectrum throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through supervision and regulation.
The law enforces regulations upon Saudi Arabian vessels and any foreign vessels that dock at Saudi port facilities while disregarding military and non-profit maritime craft as well as rescue boats. The Authority has legal authority over all maritime areas of the Kingdom starting from its internal waters through its territorial sea and reaching its contiguous zone as well as its exclusive economic zone. The Authority maintains necessary regulatory powers over all maritime operations within the Saudi Kingdom’s maritime domain because of its comprehensive authority.
A vessel obtains Saudi Arabian nationality by holding full Saudi ownership or by registering in a Saudi port or through having Swiss ownership or exceeding Saudi ownership of shares in shared vessels. Every vessel requires the Saudi Arabian flag to be its primary flag requirement except to preserve safety with no legal capacity for dual-state flag display. The law determines registration requirements in terms of vessel certification except for vessels under 24 meters, fishing vessels less than 30 tons and 20 meters and diving vessels below 10 tons and 11 meters that remain within Saudi Arabian maritime jurisdiction.
A provisional registration certificate comes from the registration office to vessels for either temporary use during one journey or six months maximum length which can be extended up to two years. A Saudi Maritime company obtaining vessel ownership from an outside Kingdom location can obtain a provisional registration from either the Kingdom or through its diplomatic missions operating in the original country of vessel ownership transfer. Another party can file an objection against the registration with the judicial authority within ninety days. A lost registration certificate can be retrieved from an extracting office with evidence regarding its cause of disappearance. The registration certificate for a ship gets revoked if the vessel gets destroyed or captured or if it moves to possession of a non-Saudi owner or when the owner demands such action.
Foreign charted ships that perform one or multiple voyages must register under Saudi Arabian law before a specific person can utilize them as their operating vessel. A temporary suspension of registration becomes an immediate restriction for any vessel to display the Saudi Arabian flag during the period. According to maritime regulations established by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia the Authority is required to issue licenses for marine platforms that seek operation within the royal maritime territory. The platforms operating in Saudi Arabian maritime waters need to meet comprehensive safety requirements which ensure complete protection while undergoing regular five-year inspection examinations.
The extensive maritime legal system together with the creation of the Public Transport Authority represents Saudi Arabia’s dedication to build a flourishing regulated maritime sector. Both local and international maritime corporations have shown growing interest in operating within Saudi territory thus supporting the expansion of Saudi maritime business development.
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