The ambition and projects set out in Vision 2030 to make Saudi
Arabia a logistics and maritime hub necessitated the expansion and
regulation of the maritime industry. The issuance of the first
bespoke Maritime Law indicates the importance of the maritime
sector to Saudi Arabia's economy and development plans, and is
a significant development in regulating the sector. In this
article, we look at some of the key issues covered by the Maritime
Law and what it means for Saudi and non-Saudi vessels.
In January 2019, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the
Kingdom) introduced, for the first time, a bespoke
Commercial Maritime Law (the Maritime Law) issued
pursuant to Royal Decree no. M/33 dated 5 Rabi' II 1440H
(corresponding to 12 December 2018) and published it in the
Official Gazette on Friday, 4 January 2019. The Maritime Law came
into effect on 3 July 2019.
