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Federal Decree by Law Concerning the Maritime Law

Formal citationFederal Decree by Law No. 43 of 2023 Issuing sourceUAE Federal Legislation → Issued / Gazetted / Effective28 Sep 2023 · 29 Sep 2023 · 29 Mar 2024 Gazette issue760 Categorylaw Last indexed11 Jul 2026
Official source ↗ عربي

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 ↗