Federal Decree by Law Concerning the Maritime Law
Article 1 ¶
For the purpose of applying the provisions of this Decree-Law, the following words and expressions s
The State:
The Ministry:
The Minister:
The Competent Authority:
Territorial Waters of the State:
Marine Facility:
The Ship:
The Watercraft:
The Port:
The Ship's Husband:
The Captain:
The Seafarer:
The Pilot:
The Ship Agent:
The Shipping Agent:
The Transit Agent:
The Charter Party:
Contract of Carriage by Sea:
Bill of Lading:
Contract Carrier:
Actual Carrier:
Multimodal Transport:
Freight Forwarding:
Marine Accident / Casualty:
General Average Losses:
Special Drawing Rights (SDRs):
Marine Risk:
The Executive Regulations:
Chapter Two: General Provisions
Article 2 ¶
1.The provisions of this Decree-Law shall apply to all seagoing watercrafts, ships, and maritime mea
Article 3 ¶
The following provisions shall apply to the relationship that may be established between persons in
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If a dispute arising from the application of the provisions of this Decree-Law is settled by way of
Article 5 ¶
The employees of the Ministry or the competent authority, who are designated by a decision issued by
Article 6 ¶
Employees granted the capacity of the judicial enforcement officers have the right to board and insp
Section Two: The Ship
Chapter One: Ship and Shipbuilding Contract
Article 7 ¶
1.The ship is a tangible movable property, and the provisions that apply to tangible movable propert
Article 8 ¶
1.Each ship shall be given a specific name, which shall be placed in a prominent place on the ship.
Article 9 ¶
1.The shipbuilding contract is the contract whereby the shipbuilding contractor undertakes to build
Article 10 ¶
1.Ownership of the ship shall not be transferred to the shipbuilding applicant unless he accepts the
Article 11 ¶
1.The shipbuilding contractor shall be held accountable for hidden defects in the ship, even if the
Chapter Two: Nationality and Registration of the Ship
Article 12 ¶
1.The ship acquires the nationality of the State if it is registered in the Ministry's Ships Registe
Article 13 ¶
1.In order to register a ship in the Ministry's Ships Register, the following requirements shall be
Article 14 ¶
Ships registered in the Ships Register shall fly the State's flag, and no other ships can fly the St
Article 15 ¶
1.Foreign ships may not carry out maritime carriage between the State's ports or engage in fishing,
Article 16 ¶
1.No natural or legal person may practice any maritime activity through a seagoing watercraft unless
Article 17 ¶
1.The Ministry shall maintain a special register for seagoing watercrafts and buoys designated and n
Article 18 ¶
1.The Charterer of a ship registered abroad that meets the conditions for registration under the Emi
Article 19 ¶
1.The Ministry may license the owner of a ship registered with the Ministry to fly the flag of anoth
Article 20 ¶
1.The Ministry shall inform the maritime administration of the country, whose flag will be raised on
Article 21 ¶
1.The ship shall be removed from the Register in any of the following cases: a.If the ship perman...
Chapter Three: Navigation License
Article 22 ¶
1.Any ship registered with the Ministry shall be prohibited from practicing any maritime activities
Article 23 ¶
1.The captain of the ship or seagoing watercraft shall inform the Ministry or the competent authorit
Chapter Four: Legal Dispositions Associated with the Ship
Article 24 ¶
1.The Ministry shall attest every contract that results in the creation, transfer or termination of
Article 25 ¶
1.The owner of a ship registered in the State may not take any action in respect of the transfer of
Article 26 ¶
1.The owner of a ship registered in the State may not dismantle the ship or sell its wreckage before
Chapter Five: Co-ownership of A Ship
Article 27 ¶
1.If there are multiple owners of the ship, they shall be deemed co-owners, whether they are natural
Article 28 ¶
1.No joint owner may mortgage or sell its share in the ship without obtaining the approval of the re
Chapter Six: Liens Over the Ship
Article 29 ¶
The lien holder of a ship may keep a watchful eye on the ship wherever it exists, in order to satisf
Article 30 ¶
1.Liens are not subject to any formal procedure or any special requirement of proof, except for case
Article 31 ¶
1.The preferred debts described in Article (29) of this Decree-Law become payable on the ship and th
Article 32 ¶
1.The forwarding freight is considered to be the travel freight of passengers, and the value for det
Article 33 ¶
The lien associated on the forwarding freight shall remain valid as long as the freight is payable o
Article 34 ¶
1.The preferred debts relating to a single voyage shall be created in accordance with the order ment
Article 35 ¶
Preferred debts arising from the ship's last voyage take precedence over the preferred debts arising
Article 36 ¶
The liens associated with the ship shall expire in any of the following cases: 1.Judicial sale of th
Article 37 ¶
1.In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, the cases relating to liens ass
Article 38 ¶
The foregoing provisions shall apply to ships operated by the owner ship's husband, the non-owner sh
Article 39 ¶
The competent authority has the right to impose an attachment on the shipwreck to guarantee the expe
Article 40 ¶
The provisions contained in this Chapter shall apply to commercial ships owned, operated or managed
Chapter Seven: Bottomry Bond
Article 41 ¶
1.The ship may be mortgaged in accordance with the provisions referred to in this Chapter, regardles
Article 42 ¶
1.The ship shall be mortgaged by a bond accompanied by the authentication of the signatures of the p
Article 43 ¶
1.The mortgage executed in connection with the ship or a share therein shall remain effective with r
Article 44 ¶
1.The mortgage shall be immediately next in rank to the preferred debts referred to in clauses (1),
Article 45 ¶
1.Creditors who are mortgagee of a ship or part thereof shall keep a watchful eye on the ship wherev
Article 46 ¶
Any disposal of a ship burdened by a mortgage that results in it losing the nationality of the State
Article 47 ¶
1.If the mortgage is on a share not exceeding half of the ship, the mortgagee creditor has no choice
Article 48 ¶
1.Enforcement on the mortgaged ship shall be carried out in accordance with the procedures for Preju
Article 49 ¶
1.If ownership of the mortgaged ship or any thereof is transferred before the attachment report is r
Article 50 ¶
1.In the case described in Article (49) of this Decree-Law, any creditor may apply for the sale of t
Article 51 ¶
If no mortgagee creditor submits the application referred to in Article (50) of this Decree-Law, the
Article 52 ¶
The mortgage registration shall be removed by agreement to be executed between the parties or by a f
Chapter Eight: Prejudgment Attachment
Article 53 ¶
1.Prejudgment attachment shall be created on the ship in satisfaction of a maritime debt, by a decis
Article 54 ¶
1. Holders of the debts described in Article (53.2) of this Decree-Law may apply for attachment of t
Article 55 ¶
1.The creditor may request attachment of the ship or on any other ship owned by the charterer, if th
Article 56 ¶
It is not permissible to order the imposition of a Prejudgment attachment on the ship unless the com
Article 57 ¶
1.The attachment of the ship shall result in preventing the same from sailing. 2.The competent court
Article 58 ¶
1.A copy of the Prejudgment attachment report shall be delivered by the enforcement officer to the S
Article 59 ¶
1. The Prejudgment attachment applicant shall file a case for the validity of the attachment before
Article 60 ¶
Without prejudice to any agreement to refer the dispute to arbitration, the court, in whose jurisdic
Chapter Nine: Enforcement Attachment
Article 61 ¶
1.No Enforcement Attachment may be imposed on the ship until at least (24) twenty-four hours have pa
Article 62 ¶
1.A copy of the Enforcement Attachment report shall be delivered to the Ship Agent, captain or his r
Article 63 ¶
1.The Enforcement Attachment report shall include a summons for the parties concerned to appear befo
Article 64 ¶
If the court orders the sale, it shall determine the basic price, conditions of sale and days on whi
Article 65 ¶
1.Concerning the cases filed requesting the entitlement to the ship and invalidation of the Enforcem
Article 66 ¶
1.Cases for entitlement filed after the auction shall be considered an objection to the delivery of
Article 67 ¶
Sale of the ship by auction shall result in its release, and the winning bidder is not be obligated
Section Three: Security & Safety and Marine Environment
Article 68 ¶
1.For the purposes of enforcing international and national requirements in relation to security, saf
Article 69 ¶
1.All parties concerned shall enable representatives of the Ministry to embark the ship, enter seago
Article 70 ¶
The captain of any ship sailing in the State's maritime zones shall take all necessary measures to p
Article 71 ¶
1.Any captain who intends to enter the ship into any of the State's ports shall ensure the existence
Article 72 ¶
1.Compliance with the security controls on the ship shall have priority over the interests represent
Article 73 ¶
1.The Ministry may prevent ships and seagoing watercrafts that do not comply with ratified internati
Section Four: Port Facilities
Article 74 ¶
1.The Ministry may prevent ships and seagoing watercrafts that do not comply with ratified internati
Article 75 ¶
The port authority shall, in coordination with the competent authority, issue a special regulation r
Article 76 ¶
The Ministry may, on its own initiative or upon the recommendation of the competent authority, impos
Section Five: Crew
Chapter One: Ship's Husband
Article 77 ¶
1.The shipowner shall be presumably be the ship's husband, unless it is proven that its use has been
Article 78 ¶
The ship's husband shall, before and during the sea voyage, take all necessary measures to ensure th
Article 79 ¶
1.The ship's husband shall be absolutely responsible for his personal faults, especially in the even
Article 80 ¶
1.The ship's husband or the like may invoke the limitation of their liability for the faults and obl
Article 81 ¶
The ship's husband or the like may not invoke the limitation of his liability in any of the followin
Article 82 ¶
1.The captain, seafarers or other subordinates may invoke the limitation of liability if the casualt
Article 83 ¶
1.The liability of the ship's husband or the like for damage resulting from a single casualty shall
Article 84 ¶
1.If the maximum limit for compensation for deaths and physical injuries is not sufficient to cover
Article 85 ¶
1.If there are multiple debts arising from a single casualty, the ship's husband or the like may req
Chapter Two: The Captain
Article 86 ¶
1.The ship's husband shall appoint the captain, in accordance with the controls determined by the Mi
Article 87 ¶
1.The captain has the authority necessary to maintain order and security of the ship, as well as onb
Article 88 ¶
1.The captain is considered the legal representative of the ship's husband and represents him before
Article 89 ¶
The captain shall take the following measures: 1.Take the necessary measures to maintain the ship's
Article 90 ¶
1.The captain has the authority to document and record births and deaths that occur on board the shi
Article 91 ¶
1.If unusual causalities occur during the voyage in relation to the ship, the cargo or the passenger
Article 92 ¶
1.The captain shall be held accountable for his personal mistakes with respect to the ship's husband
Chapter Three: Seafarers
Article 93 ¶
1.The ship's husband shall appoint the seafarers, in accordance with the conditions and controls det
Article 94 ¶
1.The employment of a seafarer to work on board the ship shall be made pursuant to a seafarer employ
Article 95 ¶
1.The provisions of the Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment R
Article 96 ¶
1.The seafarer shall perform the duties agreed upon in the seafarer employment contract and shall co
Article 97 ¶
1. The amount or type of wage shall be determined in the seafarer employment contract, in accordance
Article 98 ¶
The seafarer is not entitled to additional pay for performing any of the following activities: 1.Any
Article 99 ¶
The ship's husband shall conclude a health insurance policy contract for the benefit of the seafarer
Article 100 ¶
1.If the seafarer is injured or becomes ill while working on board the ship, and the injury or illne
Article 101 ¶
1.The seafarer employed for a definite period shall be entitled to an annual leave of not less than
Article 102 ¶
1.The Executive Regulations shall specify the violations committed by the seafarer, the disciplinary
Article 103 ¶
1.The employment relationship shall be terminated in any of the following cases: a.Upon Terminati...
Article 104 ¶
1.Those who have the nationality of the State may perform any activity on ships sailing outside terr
Article 105 ¶
The State's courts have jurisdiction to adjudicate claims arising from a seafarer employment contrac
Article 106 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, claims arising from a seafarer em
Chapter Four: Towing Officer
Article 107 ¶
1.The towing operation shall be managed by the towed ship's captain in any of the following cases: .
Article 108 ¶
The management of the towing operation shall be vested in the captain of the towing ship in any of t
Article 109 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, liability claims arising from tow
Chapter Five: Pilot
Article 110 ¶
1.Pilotage shall be deemed compulsory for ships at ports and areas designated by a decision from the
Article 111 ¶
1.Ships subject to the pilotage obligation shall follow the rules specified in the pilotage regulati
Article 112 ¶
The command and management of the ship shall remain the responsibility of the captain while the pilo
Article 113 ¶
If the pilot has to travel with the ship or at the request of the pilot for reasons justifying so, t
Article 114 ¶
1.The ship's husband shall be liable for the damage caused to his ship or to third parties due to an
Article 115 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, liability claims arising from the
Chapter Six: Ship Agent
Article 116 ¶
No Ship Agent may perform his activities in the State without obtaining the approval of the Ministry
Article 117 ¶
The ship's agent or the like shall be considered the representative of the ship's husband in cases f
Article 118 ¶
1.The Ship Agent shall take the following measures: a.Coordinate with the captain to take the nec...
Article 119 ¶
The ship's agent shall be liable for both his personal faults and faults committed by his subordinat
Chapter Seven: Shipping Agent
Article 120 ¶
No shipping agent may perform his activities in the State's ports without obtaining the approval of
Article 121 ¶
The shipping agent shall take all reasonable measures to preserve the cargoes he receives on behalf
Article 122 ¶
The condition contained in the bill of lading whereby the Consignor authorizes the Carrier to appoin
Article 123 ¶
The shipping agent shall be liable vis-à-vis the cargo owner and third parties for his personal faul
Chapter Eight: Transit Agent
Article 124 ¶
No transit agent may perform his activities in the State's ports without obtaining the approval of t
Article 125 ¶
The transit agent shall take the following measures: 1.Receive the cargoes from the former Carrier,
Article 126 ¶
The transit agent shall be liable for both his personal faults and faults committed by his subordina
Chapter Nine: Loading and Unloading Contractor
Article 127 ¶
No loading and unloading contractor may perform his activities in the State's ports without obtainin
Article 128 ¶
1.The loading and unloading contractor shall take the following measures: a. Provide services and...
Article 129 ¶
1.The loading and unloading contractor shall be liable for its own personal faults and the faults co
Section Six: Use of the Ship
Chapter One: General Provisions on Ship Chartering
Article 130 ¶
1. The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to charter parties unless the parties agree otherwise,
Article 131 ¶
1. The charter party of a ship shall be executed in writing, and the document of a charter party sha
Article 132 ¶
1.The charterer may sublet the ship, unless a condition is stated in the charter party prohibiting t
Article 133 ¶
1.The cargo shipped on the chartered ship shall guarantee payment of the ship's freight and related
Article 134 ¶
The Charterer shall be liable for any claim filed by a third party against the shipowner due to the
Article 135 ¶
The sale of a ship shall not result in automatic termination of the charter party. However, the buye
Article 136 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, the following actions shall not b
Chapter Two: Bareboat Charter
Article 137 ¶
1. A Bareboat Charter is a contract whereby the shipowner undertakes to put, for a fixed period of t
Article 138 ¶
The shipowner shall be held accountable for getting the damage arising out of a defect in the ship r
Article 139 ¶
1.The charterer may manage the ship navigationally and commercially, unless otherwise agreed. 2.The
Chapter Three: Voyage Charter
Article 140 ¶
1.Voyage Charter is a contract whereby the shipowner undertakes to put at the disposal of the charte
Article 141 ¶
1.The shipowner shall assume navigational and commercial management of the ship. 2.The shipowner may
Article 142 ¶
1.The voyage charter shall remain effective without compensation or freight increase, if a force maj
Article 143 ¶
1.The charterer of a ship under a voyage charter shall be required to: a.Load the agreed-upon qua...
Article 144 ¶
1.The charterer shall load and unload the cargo within the agreed-upon period(s), and in the absence
Article 145 ¶
1.The loading or unloading period shall commence as of the day immediately following the day on whic
Article 146 ¶
Upon expiration of the unloading period, the captain may unload the cargo aboard the ship at the cha
Article 147 ¶
1.If the ship fails to reach the agreed-upon port for unloading of the cargo, the captain shall head
Article 148 ¶
1.The charterer may unload its own cargo at its own expense during the voyage at any port before rea
Article 149 ¶
1.The freight shall become due in the event that the cargo loaded aboard the ship is destroyed befor
Chapter Four: Time Charter
Article 150 ¶
1.Time Charter is a contract whereby the shipowner undertakes to put at the disposal of the chartere
Article 151 ¶
1.The shipowner shall assume the navigational management of the ship, shall equip the ship with the
Article 152 ¶
1.The commercial management of the ship shall be assumed by the charterer, who shall bear its expens
Article 153 ¶
1.The shipowner shall be entitled to the freight rate as of the day the ship is put at the disposal
Article 154 ¶
The charter party shall be terminated after five (5) working days from the date of notifying the cha
Chapter Five: General Provisions on the Contract of Carriage by Sea
Article 155 ¶
1. The provisions of this Chapter and the subsequent Chapters thereof shall apply exclusively to the
Chapter Six: Contract of Carriage of Goods by Sea
Article 156 ¶
1.The contract of carriage of goods by sea shall be deemed a contract whereby the Carrier undertakes
Article 157 ¶
1.Upon receiving or loading the cargoes on board the ship, the Carrier shall issue a bill of lading
Article 158 ¶
1.The Carrier or his representative may express reservations about recording the data provided by th
Article 159 ¶
1.An agreement may be made that the Consignor shall issue a letter of guarantee under which he under
Article 160 ¶
1.The paper bill of lading shall be issued in two authentic copies, one of which shall be handed ove
Article 161 ¶
1.If there is a discrepancy between the copy of the bill of lading signed by the Consignor or his re
Article 162 ¶
1.A negotiable paper bill of lading shall be issued in the name of a specific person, to his order,
Article 163 ¶
1.The bill of lading may be issued via any electronic means. 2. An electronic bill of lading shall h
Article 164 ¶
1.The Carrier may give the Consignor a non-negotiable receipt for receiving the cargo before loading
Article 165 ¶
1.If the captain or his representative finds cargo on the ship that are not mentioned in the bill of
Article 166 ¶
1.The Carrier shall deliver the cargo to the person eligible to receive them or to their representat
Article 167 ¶
1.Whoever is entitled to receive the cargoes under the bill of lading may request from the Carrier p
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Article 168 ¶
If the person entitled to receive the cargoes fails to appear or refuses to receive them, the Carrie
Article 169 ¶
1.The Consignor shall submit the data relating to the cargoes when they are delivered to the Carrier
Article 170 ¶
1.The Carrier may, at any time, remove dangerous cargoes from the ship, destroy or remove their dang
Article 171 ¶
1.The Carrier may, at any time, remove dangerous cargoes from the ship, destroy or remove their dang
Article 172 ¶
The Consignor shall take the following measures: 1.Deliver the cargoes to the Carrier at the time an
Article 173 ¶
1.The Consignor or whoever is entitled to receive the cargoes shall not be discharged from paying th
Article 174 ¶
1.The Consignor may give the Carrier new instructions regarding the commencement of the agreed-upon
Article 175 ¶
1. The Carrier shall be liable for the loss or damage to the cargoes in the period between his recei
Article 176 ¶
The Carrier shall not be liable for the loss or damage to the cargoes or the delay in respect of the
Article 177 ¶
1. The Carrier's liability for loss or damage to the cargoes shall be limited to a maximum of (835)
Article 178 ¶
1. It is permissible, by special agreement to be concluded between the Consignor and the Carrier or
Article 179 ¶
1.Any condition in the bill of lading or in any other document that would exempt the Carrier from li
Article 180 ¶
The Carrier may not invoke the limitation of his liability for the loss or damage to the cargoes in
Article 181 ¶
The Carrier may give up all or any of the rights and exemptions conferred thereupon or increase his
Article 182 ¶
1.The parties may agree to regulate liability in derogation from the provisions contained in Chapter
Article 183 ¶
1.If the partial loss or damage to the cargoes is apparent to the person who is entitled to receive
Article 184 ¶
The Carrier, who undertakes to carry out the first stage of carriage by his own means, may undertake
Article 185 ¶
1.The Carrier shall be liable for the damage resulting from the delay in respect of delivering the c
Article 186 ¶
1.The contract Carrier may entrust the implementation of the contract of carriage by sea or the impl
Article 187 ¶
The following cases shall not be heard when there is denial and there is no legally-admissible excus
Chapter Seven: Multimodal Contract of Carriage by Sea
Article 188 ¶
1.It is not considered multi-modal carriage by sea if the carriage contractor issues a separate carr
Article 189 ¶
The carriage contractor may not conclude any multimodal contract of carriage unless he provides a se
Article 190 ¶
1.The multimodal contract of carriage shall be executed in writing. 2.The carriage contractor shall
Article 191 ¶
1.The multimodal document of carriage shall have the probative force in respect of proving the data
Article 192 ¶
1.The multimodal document of carriage may or may not be negotiable depending on the Consignor's choi
Article 193 ¶
The consignee or the holder of the document of carriage shall be granted all rights with regard to t
Article 194 ¶
1.The multimodal carriage contractor shall deliver the cargoes received thereby from the Consignor t
Article 195 ¶
The Consignor may withdraw from the multimodal contract of carriage before delivering the cargoes to
Article 196 ¶
1.The Consignor shall pay the carriage freight agreed upon before the start of the voyage. If it is
Article 197 ¶
1.If the loss or damage of cargoes or the delay of their delivery arises during any of the carriage-
Article 198 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, the following cases shall not be
Chapter Eight: Transport of Cargoes
Article 199 ¶
1.The Freight Forwarder shall be considered a Carrier contracting with the Consignor if the same und
Article 200 ¶
1.Without prejudice to the provisions relating to the registration of contracts concluded by the Fre
Article 201 ¶
The provisions regulating each contract according to its nature and type shall apply to contracts co
Article 202 ¶
1.The Freight Forwarder shall carry out the duties assigned thereto by the Consignor. 2.The Freight
Article 203 ¶
1.The Consignor shall provide the Freight Forwarder with data regarding the type of cargoes carried,
Article 204 ¶
1.If the nature of the cargoes carried requires that they be wrapped, packaged or stowed, the Consig
Article 205 ¶
In the event of denial and the lack of a legally-admissible excuse, cases arising from the carriage
Chapter Nine: Contract of Carriage of Passengers by Sea
Article 206 ¶
The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to free carriage unless the Carrier is professional,
Article 207 ¶
1.The contract of carriage of passengers by sea shall only be executed in writing. 2.The fixed docum
Article 208 ¶
1.The Carrier shall issue the ticket in the name of the passenger, and the passenger may not transfe
Article 209 ¶
The Carrier shall undertake to take the following measures: 1. Exercise the necessary care to make t
Article 210 ¶
1.The passenger shall be present at the time and place specified in the travel ticket. 2.If the pass
Article 211 ¶
1.The passenger may cancel the contract without compensation, if the ship is unable to travel due to
Article 212 ¶
1.If voyage is interrupted for a period exceeding three (3) days, the passenger may terminate the co
Article 213 ¶
1.The passenger shall pay the carriage fare agreed upon before the start of voyage unless otherwise
Article 214 ¶
1.The Carrier shall be held liable for the damage caused to the passenger as a result of delay in re
Article 215 ¶
1.The Carrier shall be held liable for the damage that gives rise to the passenger's death or physic
Article 216 ¶
1.The Carrier's liability for the death or physical or mental injury of any passenger shall be equal
Article 217 ¶
1.The contracting parties may agree that the Carrier's liability be determined in a value higher tha
Article 218 ¶
Any agreement executed prior to an incident that gives rise to the death or physical or mental injur
Article 219 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, the following claims shall not be
Article 220 ¶
1.If the maritime carriage is implemented pursuant to a tourist program, the Carrier may grant the p
Section Seven: Marine Accidents
Chapter One: Management of Marine Accidents
Article 221 ¶
1.The captain, shipowner, ship's husband and ship's agent of a ship that carries the flag of the Sta
Article 222 ¶
1.The captain or any pers on acting on his behalf shall take the following actions upon occurrence o
Article 223 ¶
Whoever watches or becomes aware of the occurrence of a marine accident or receives a request for he
Article 224 ¶
Immediately upon receiving a notice indicating the occurrence of a marine accident to any ship that
Article 225 ¶
The Ministry shall coordinate with the competent bodies that are in charge of searching for the ship
Article 226 ¶
1.The ships that carry the flag of the State shall be required to provide equipment for transmission
Article 227 ¶
1.The Ministry shall investigate the marine accidents experienced by the ships that carry the flag o
Article 228 ¶
The maritime accident shall be investigated if it gives rise to any of the following situations: 1.D
Article 229 ¶
1.The Ministry may inspect or examine the ship and collect evidence for investigation purposes, and
Article 230 ¶
The Ministry shall draw up a detailed report on the investigation conducted thereby into the marine
Article 231 ¶
A note shall be inserted in the registration margin of a ship that carries the flag of the State ind
Chapter Two: Shipwreck
Article 232 ¶
1.Any ship or part thereof that is abandoned or sunk or stranded in the territorial waters of the St
Article 233 ¶
1.If the ship becomes a wreck in the territorial waters of the State, its owner or the ship's husban
Article 234 ¶
The Ministry or the competent authority may sell shipwreck depending on the mechanism determined by
Chapter Three: Ship Collision
Article 235 ¶
1.If a collision occurs between ships or between ships and vessels navigating inland waters, the com
Article 236 ¶
1.The captain of every ship or the commander of any other floating facility that has been involved i
Article 237 ¶
1.If the collision results from the fault of any of the ships or floating facilities involved in the
Article 238 ¶
1.If the fault was shared, the liability of each ship or floating facility involved in the collision
Article 239 ¶
If the collision occurred as a result of force majeure, or its cause is unknown, or there is doubt a
Article 240 ¶
1.The plaintiff may file a case arising from the ship collision with any of the following courts of
Article 241 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, the following cases shall not be
Chapter Four: Marine Salvage
Article 242 ¶
The provisions of this Chapter shall apply to the salvage services provided to the ships experiencin
Article 243 ¶
Any captain or his representative shall, within the limits of his ability and without exposing his s
Article 244 ¶
1.Any act of salvage and rescue shall result in the entitlement of a fair reward if it leads to a be
Article 245 ¶
The captain of the ship shall act on behalf of the ship's husband with respect to concluding salvage
Article 246 ¶
A towing or pilotage ship is not entitled to any reward for the salvage services it provides to the
Article 247 ¶
1.The parties agree on the amount of the reward that is due for the salvage services. If there is no
Article 248 ¶
1.If the conditions for entitlement to the reward are not met, or if the reward is estimated at less
Article 249 ¶
1.When determining the reward, the court shall take into account the following two basic criteria, a
Article 250 ¶
A reward is not due against rescuing people. However, persons who saved human lives may receive a fa
Article 251 ¶
1.The competent court shall, upon the motion of either party, invalidate or amend any agreement on s
Article 252 ¶
Any agreement that confers the jurisdiction upon a foreign court to hear the legal proceedings arisi
Article 253 ¶
In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, cases for a reward for salvage sh
Chapter Five: General Average Losses
Article 254 ¶
The provisions referred to in this Chapter apply to the General Average Losses unless there is a spe
Article 255 ¶
It is assumed that the average loss is deemed a private marine loss, and whoever claims that it sust
Article 256 ¶
1.Only the following are classified as General Average Losses: a.Physical damage to the ship. ...
Article 257 ¶
1.The loss is considered general if the incident occurred due to the fault of any of the parties con
Article 258 ¶
1.The cargoes loaded on board the ship contribute to the General Average Losses if they are salvaged
Article 259 ¶
Loss or damage to cargos for which a bill of lading or receipt has not been issued by the carrier or
Article 260 ¶
1.The cargoes, for which a statement was submitted for less than their true value, shall contribute
Article 261 ¶
The rights arising from General Average Losses shall give rise to a credit group and the obligations
Article 262 ¶
Expenses and damage considered part of the General Average Losses shall be recorded under the credit
Article 263 ¶
The ship, the freight and the cargoes loaded on the ship shall be included in the debit group as fol
Article 264 ¶
The ordinary expenses of claiming sums of money that are not paid by any of the parties concerned to
Article 265 ¶
1.If the cargo owners provide cash amounts to guarantee their contribution to the General Average Lo
Article 266 ¶
The General Average Losses shall be distributed among all parties concerned on the sea voyage in pro
Article 267 ¶
The application for the involvement in the settlement of General Average Losses arising from damage
Article 268 ¶
The captain may refrain from delivering cargoes that should contribute to the General Average Losses
Article 269 ¶
1.The General Average Losses shall be settled by one or more settlement experts to be appointed by t
Article 270 ¶
If all parties concerned are not satisfied with the settlement, the matter shall be presented to the
Article 271 ¶
The parties concerned may appeal the invalidation of the consideration of the losses as General Aver
Article 272 ¶
1.Debts arising from General Average Losses shall be considered preferred debts, and this preference
Article 273 ¶
There is no joint liability between the parties obligated to contribute to the General Average Losse
Article 274 ¶
Administrative expenses shall be counted at the rate of (5%) five percent of the total amounts inclu
Article 275 ¶
Administrative expenses shall be distributed among all parties concerned in the voyage in proportion
Article 276 ¶
Any party concerned may absolve himself of liability for contributing to the General Average Losses,
Article 277 ¶
1.In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, a case for engagement in the Ge
Section Eight: Marine Insurance
Article 278 ¶
1.The provisions of this Part shall apply to the insurance contract whose subject matter is insuranc
Article 279 ¶
The insurer shall have the right to reinsure the property he insured. In this case, the insured shal
Chapter One: Execution of Marine Insurance Contract
Article 280 ¶
1.The marine insurance contract is the contract whereby the insurer shall compensate the insured for
Article 281 ¶
1.The marine insurance contract or any amendment thereto may only be executed in writing. 2.The temp
Chapter Two: Multiple Insurances and Insurance Value
Article 282 ¶
If the risk is insured in a single contract by several insurers, each of them shall commit to the pr
Article 283 ¶
1.If a number of insurers contribute to different contracts to insuring the insured item against the
Article 284 ¶
If the insurance amount exceeds the value of the insured item and the fraud is proven to be committe
Article 285 ¶
If the insurance amount is less than the true value of the insured item, the insured shall be consid
Chapter Three: Obligations of Insurer
Article 286 ¶
1.The insurer shall be held liable for the following matters: a.Material damage to insured items due
Article 287 ¶
1.The insurer shall remain liable for damage arising from the insured risks in the event that there
Article 288 ¶
1.The insurer shall not guarantee the risks of civil or foreign wars, disturbances, acts of piracy,
Article 289 ¶
If it is agreed to insure war risks, this insurance shall cover damage to the insured items caused d
Article 290 ¶
1.If it is not possible to determine whether the damage resulted from a military danger or a maritim
Article 291 ¶
The insurer shall not be held liable, without explicit agreement, for the following matters: 1.Mater
Article 292 ¶
1.It may be agreed to exempt the insurer from compensation for damage within the limits specified in
Chapter Four: Obligations of the Insured
Article 293 ¶
The insured shall be liable for the following matters: 1.Paying the insurance premium and expenses a
Article 294 ¶
1.When the insured danger occurs, the insured shall exercise the utmost care to save the insured ite
Article 295 ¶
1.If the insurance contract is concluded through an insurance broker, the insured shall pay the insu
Article 296 ¶
1.If the insured fails to pay the insurance premium when due, the insurer may suspend or terminate t
Article 297 ¶
1.If the insured becomes insolvent or goes bankrupt, the insurer may terminate the insurance contrac
Article 298 ¶
1.The insurer may request invalidation of the insurance contract if it is proven that the insured in
Article 299 ¶
1.The insured shall notify the insurer of circumstances that arise during the validity of the contra
Article 300 ¶
The insurance contract shall be deemed invalid in any of the following cases: 1.If the insurance con
Chapter Five: Settlement of Damage
Article 301 ¶
1.Damage shall be settled by way of compensation, unless the insured chooses to assign the insured i
Article 302 ¶
The assignment shall result in the transfer of ownership of the insured items to the insurer along w
Article 303 ¶
When the insured expresses his desire for the assignment, he shall declare all other insurance contr
Article 304 ¶
The insured shall prove that the insured item is exposed to danger and prove the damage caused there
Article 305 ¶
1.Assignment shall be communicated to the insurer by means of a notice by a report or by mail within
Article 307 ¶
The insurer shall pay to the insured the amount of the contribution of the insured items to the Gene
Article 308 ¶
The insurer shall be entitled to the rights and claims of the insured, within the limits of the comp
Chapter Six: Inadmissibility of Cases Arising from Marine Insurance Contract
Article 309 ¶
1.In the event of denial and absence of a legally-admissible excuse, the cases arising from the insu
Chapter Seven: Insuring the Ship
Article 310 ¶
The ship insurance contract may be executed for a single voyage, for several voyages or for a fixed
Article 311 ¶
1.The coverage provided by the insurer under the voyage insurance shall become effective once the lo
Article 312 ¶
The ship shall be covered by insurance without interruption wherever it exists, within the limits of
Article 313 ¶
1.Without prejudice to the provisions of Article (284) of this Decree-Law, if the insurance contract
Article 314 ¶
1.With the exception of damage to persons, the insurer shall pay the compensation incurred by the in
Article 315 ¶
The insurer shall not be liable for damage resulting from an intrinsic defect in the ship unless the
Article 316 ¶
1.If the insurance on the ship is executed for a single voyage or for several successive voyages, th
Article 317 ¶
1.The insurer shall provide coverage, within the limits of the insurance amount, for the damage aris
Article 318 ¶
1.In the event that the insurance is settled by way of compensation, the insurer shall cover the exp
Article 319 ¶
The insured may assign the ship to the insurer in the following instances: 1.Where the ship is compl
Article 320 ¶
The insured may exercise his right to assign the ship if it is captured, attached or arrested based
Article 321 ¶
1.Marine insurance contracts governing several ships owned by a single husband shall apply as if eac
Article 322 ¶
1.The insurance contract shall remain in full force and effect in favor of the new owner or the char
Chapter Eight: Cargo Insurance
Article 323 ¶
The provisions of Articles (310) to (322) of this Decree-Law shall apply to the insurance contract f
Article 324 ¶
1.It shall be permissible to provide insurance coverage on ships operated by the insured based on a
Article 325 ¶
The insurance on cargoes shall be executed by virtue of a policy for a single voyage or through an i
Article 326 ¶
1.The cargoes shall be covered by insurance without interruption wherever they exist during the voya
Article 327 ¶
The amount of insurance for cargoes may not exceed the higher value of the following amounts: 1.The
Article 328 ¶
The losses to the cargo shall be calculated based on the difference between its value when it is dam
Article 329 ¶
1.The insured may assign the cargo to the insurer in any of the following instances: a.Where ther...
Article 330 ¶
The insured may exercise its right to assign the cargo if the ship is captured, attached or arrested
Article 331 ¶
1.If the cargoes are insured under a subscription policy, it shall include the conditions to which b
Article 332 ¶
If the insured deliberately violates the obligations referred to in Article (331) of this Decree-Law
Chapter Nine: Liability Insurance
Article 333 ¶
1.All ships operating in the State's ports or in its territorial waters shall carry policies indicat
Article 334 ¶
Insurance for the liability of the husbands of ships designated for transporting passengers shall be
Article 335 ¶
Entities working in the field of Takaful insurance, such as protection and compensation clubs and ot
Article 336 ¶
1.In the case of liability insurance, the non-insured may not have recourse against the insurer upon
Article 337 ¶
If the subject of liability insurance is to compensate for the damage caused to third parties by the
Article 338 ¶
If several insurances are executed to guarantee liability, each insurer shall be liable separately f
Article 339 ¶
The person who builds or repairs the ship may execute insurance to guarantee his liability for damag
Article 340 ¶
The Ministry may issue decisions obliging maritime navigation crew to insure against the risks arisi
Section Nine: Penalties and Final Provisions
Chapter One: Penalties
Article 341 ¶
The penalties contained in this Part shall be applied without prejudice to any more severe penalty s
Article 342 ¶
The shipowner or his representative or the charterer or his representative, who provides incorrect d
Article 343 ¶
Whoever operates a ship raising the State's flag, while being not registered in accordance with the
Article 344 ¶
The shipowner or his representative or the charterer or his representative, who violates the provisi
Article 345 ¶
The owner of a registered ship or marine facility or the representative thereof, who violates the pr
Article 346 ¶
The owner of a ship registered in the State, who violates the provisions of Article (26.1) of this D
Article 347 ¶
Whoever causes obstruction of the work of those charged with inspecting or investigating the ship, i
Article 348 ¶
1.The captain, who sails despite the issuance of a decision preventing the ship from sailing, shall
Article 349 ¶
The captain, who fails to notify the Ministry of the incident or change made on the ship in its stru
Article 350 ¶
The captain, who sails the ship despite his knowledge of the unavailability of all or any medical an
Article 351 ¶
Whoever violates the regulations and decisions regulating maritime security requirements shall be pu
Article 352 ¶
1.The captain, who abstains from providing salvage services to any ship that is about to sink or to
Article 353 ¶
The captain, who violates the provisions of Article (89.4) of this Decree-Law, shall be punished by
Article 354 ¶
1.Any crew member, who commits any of the following acts, shall be punished by imprisonment for a pe
Article 355 ¶
1.Whoever assaults the ship's captain or any of its officers, while performing his duties or resists
Article 356 ¶
1.Whoever comes with an act resulting in the ship sunken, burnt or seriously damaged in a manner tha
Article 357 ¶
Whoever unduly takes over or attempts to take over a ship shall be punished with temporary imprisonm
Article 358 ¶
A penalty of imprisonment for a period of not more than (3) three month and / or a fine of not more
Article 359 ¶
The captain, who leaves a sick or injured seafarer without providing him with appropriate means of t
Article 360 ¶
Whoever leaves the ship in the port while it is exposed to danger shall be punished by imprisonment
Article 361 ¶
Whoever sneaks onto a ship with the intention of traveling thereon without paying the travel fare an
Article 362 ¶
1.The captain of any ship subject to the pilotage obligation shall be punished with a fine of not le
Article 363 ¶
1.Imprisonment sentence for a term not exceeding one year and / or a fine of not less than (AED 5,00
Article 364 ¶
Whoever withholds information or evidence in relation to the investigation of a maritime accident sh
Article (265)
The captain, who does not provide the assistance referred to in Article (243) of this Decree-Law sha
Chapter Two: Final Provisions
Article 366 ¶
The Cabinet shall issue, based on the Minister's proposal and after coordination with the competent
Article 367 ¶
1.The Cabinet may, based on the proposal of the Minister and in coordination with the competent auth
Article 368 ¶
1.Federal Law No. (26) of 1981 on Maritime Commercial Law, as amended, shall be repealed. Likewise,
Article 369 ¶
This Decree-Law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force six (6) months
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Unofficial text extracted from public documents; formatting and completeness are not guaranteed. Verify against the official source. In case of conflict, the Arabic text prevails. Not legal advice. Official source ↗