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Saudi Arabia’s first yachting regulations set out licensing requirements for tourism, leisure vessels: The new yacht regulations provide a structured framework for managing yacht registration, licensing, and operations within the country’s waters. The move aims at ensuring that all registered yachts and their activities comply with local maritime regulations, particularly those involved in leisure and tourism. The regulations set out by the Saudi Red Sea Authority’s (SRSA) went into effect on Thursday.
Who is + isn’t covered: The new system applies to all yachts under Saudi registration and lays out requirements for obtaining navigational and technical licenses. It’s unclear how the regulations impact foreign yachts.
Licensing: Yacht owners must submit registers on SRSA’s online platform by submitting inspection reports, navigation licenses, and ins. details. Licenses cost SAR 4k and run for a six-month period.
For owners wishing to charter out their vessels for leisure purposes, the regulations require appointing a licensed maritime agent and meeting various legal and technical criteria.
Safety + service + environmental protection: The rules also ensure yachts are appropriately equipped for passenger safety and comfort, with guidelines on capacity and necessary services, with strict requirements for crew training in first aid and emergency preparedness. They also emphasize environmental responsibility, urging yacht operators to reduce plastic usage and protect marine ecosystems.
IN OTHER REGULATION NEWS-
#1- All customs service fees for exports will be waived starting 6 October under new regulations introduced by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (Zatca). Meanwhile, a new mechanism will be implemented to reduce customs declaration service fees for personal imports, where a fee of 0.15% of the value of incoming goods will be enforced, in addition to a SAR 15 fee on goods purchased through online stores whose value is less than SAR 1k.
What has changed? The new fee structure seeks to unify charged fees on imports by tying them to the 0.15% fee, whereas they previously included various charges such as SAR 100 for X-ray inspections, SAR 100 for information exchange services, and SAR 20 for declaration processing. The updated fee structure stipulates a maximum fee of SAR 500 and a minimum of SAR 15, including ins. and shipping. For goods exempt from duties, the maximum fee will be capped at SAR 130.
#2- Fresh regulations for parking spaces designated for individuals with disabilities: The guidelines specify that the parking slots should be placed near entrances to buildings and elevators, have adequate lighting, be clearly marked with signs, connected with ramps, and placed between horizontal access routes, according to a post on X.
