The Transport General Authority (TGA) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued an updated version of the maritime service record for practising professions related to commercial ships on 23 March 2022.
It includes all data, information and scientific level of the seafarer.
A maritime service record is a condition for proving the identity of the workers onboard ships to practice professions related to commercial ships including vessels that sail outside territorial waters.
In addition to containing marine visas and port seals, the maritime service record also contains all the names of the ships on which the seafarer served, as well as the date of his entry to any port and boarding the ship.
The updated version of the marine service record contains all marine data as it is an extension to facilitate the applicable marine procedures, and it is one of the documents regulating the work of seafarers.
A seafarer is a person who regularly travels by sea or a sailor. In other words, a seafarer is someone who is employed to serve abroad on any type of marine vessel.
TGA confirmed that the maritime service record confirms the authority’s strategic directions to serve the development of the maritime sector.
The Transport General Authority is responsible for all the railway, marine, and land transportation matters within the Kingdom, looking into providing permitted services and their safety.
It stated that it reflects the efforts exerted to enable and prepare marine services in accordance with the greatest international standards through which it will contribute and help in making Saudi Arabia a global logistics centre linking the three continents.
In January 2019, Saudi Arabia introduced for the first time a bespoke commercial maritime law, indicating the importance of maritime trade and labour to its economy and development plans.
The ambition and projects set out in Vision 2030, such as the development and privatization of nine ports, and significant growth in logistics and transport will necessitate the expansion and regulation of maritime labour.
Seafarers wishing to obtain the record must visit the Naql portal to attach their data after submitting the issuance request: http://naql.sa/main.
The authority said it also invites all those wishing to obtain more information to visit the authority’s official website http://tga.gov.sa, or to call the unified number: 1929.
