Saudi: New Red Sea navigation regulations to come into force after 90 days

The regulations are pertaining to the coastal tourism components such as design and operation of tourist marinas, classification of tourist marine vehicles, cruise ships, tourist shipping agent, tourist cruise operator, the rental of huge yachts, and the private visiting yachts

Staff Writer, Saudi Gazette

August 7, 2023

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RIYADH — The Saudi Red Sea Authority (SRSA) has issued seven regulations to facilitate navigational activities in the Red Sea. The new regulations will come into force after 90 days, the authority said in a statement.

The regulations are pertaining to the coastal tourism components such as design and operation of tourist marinas, classification of tourist marine vehicles, cruise ships, tourist shipping agent, tourist cruise operator, the rental of huge yachts, and the private visiting yachts.

The regulations are part of SRSA’s efforts to achieve economic development and environmental sustainability, as well as to promote coastal tourism in the country. The authority worked on preparing it in cooperation with the concerned authorities in the Red Sea system and general surveys.

These rules help regulate the operation of cruise ships and yachts and the issuance of licenses and permits to carry out its navigational activities, and to enable tourism and marine recreational activities.

Mohammed Al-Asiri, acting CEO of SRSA, said that the new regulations formulated by the authority, in collaboration with maritime stakeholders, are an important development toward facilitating cruise ship and yacht navigational activities in the Red Sea and creating the conditions for sustainable coastal economic growth. He underlined the authority’s endeavor to upgrade the coastal system by enabling navigational and marine tourism activities, facilitating tourism trips, operators and investors, and building a sustainable coastal economy for the Red Sea.

“We were keen, before and during the preparation of these regulations, that their inputs be inclusive of all requirements and targets, which were collected and worked on in cooperation and integration with our partners in the Red Sea system. We would contribute to ensuring the protection of the Red Sea environment in parallel with working on the economic development of the coastal tourism,” he added.