• In line with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's accession to the World Trade Organization in accordance with the Council of Ministers Decision No. 244 dated 21/9/1426H, regarding the approval of the documents for the Kingdom's accession to the World Trade Organization, and the obligation for the Kingdom to align its relevant systems with the principles of the organization's agreements, especially the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), which stipulates that unnecessary technical requirements should not be imposed on the flow of goods between member countries, and that there should be no discrimination between products of different origins in terms of technical requirements and conformity assessment methods, through the issuance of technical regulations that include legitimate essential requirements and unify work procedures.

• Based on Article Three (Paragraph -1) of the Organization of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization issued by the Council of Ministers Decision No. 216 dated 17/6/1431H, corresponding to 31/5/2010, whereby the organization is responsible for "issuing Saudi standard specifications, systems, and quality guidelines and providing conformity assessment, in accordance with the standard specifications and international guidelines, and meeting the requirements of the World Trade Organization Agreement in this field, and being compliant with Islamic Sharia and serving the interests of the Kingdom."

• According to Article Four (Paragraph -2) of the Organization of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization issued by the Council of Ministers Decision No. 216 dated 17/6/1431H, corresponding to 31/5/2010, whereby the organization is responsible for "issuing regulations for the conformity assessment of goods, products, and services in accordance with the standard specifications it adopts."

• Based on Article Six (Paragraph -1) of the Organization of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization issued by the Council of Ministers Decision No. 216 dated 17/6/1431H, corresponding to 31/5/2010, whereby the organization is responsible for "considering what is stated in Article (Four) of this organization, the organization is the reference in the Kingdom for everything related to standard specifications, conformity assessment procedures, and granting the quality and measurement and calibration mark. All government and private sectors are obliged to comply with the Saudi standard specifications in all their purchases and operations."

• Whereas the standard specifications for products covered in one of the regulations are considered the basis for the conformity of those products with the essential safety requirements in the specified technical regulation.

• The organization has prepared this technical regulation.

• Note: This introduction and all annexes to this technical regulation are an integral part of it.

• The terms and phrases below shall have the meanings indicated next to them when applying the provisions of this Regulation, unless the context of the text requires otherwise.

• The Kingdom: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

• The Council: The Board of Directors of the Authority.

• The Authority: The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization.

• Regulatory Authorities: The governmental entity/entities with regulatory tasks according to their jurisdiction; responsible for implementing or monitoring the implementation of technical regulations, whether at customs points, markets, or factories.

• Competent Authorities: The entities legally authorized in the Kingdom to issue licenses for product manufacturing and conducting activities, and to apply the provisions of this Regulation.

• Market Surveillance Authorities: The governmental entities responsible for monitoring markets and the measures taken to ensure that products comply with the requirements of the regulations issued by the Board of Directors.

• Technical Regulation: A document approved by the Board of Directors that sets out the characteristics of products and the processes associated with them and their production methods, including applicable administrative provisions that must be adhered to. It may specifically include or address terms, definitions, packaging, and requirements for labeling or marking products, services, processes, or production methods.

• Standard Specification: A document approved by the Board of Directors; it sets out - for regular and repeated use - the rules, instructions, or characteristics for related products, processes, and production methods; the application of which is optional, and may specifically include or address terms, definitions, packaging, and requirements for labeling or marking applicable to products, services, processes, or production methods.

• Essential Requirements: The requirements specific to products that may affect safety, health, and the environment; which must be adhered to.

• Hazard(s): A potential source of harm.

• Risk(s): The likelihood of a hazard causing harm; related to the severity of the harm.

• The Supplier: Refers to the following:

  • - The manufacturer of the product, if located in the Kingdom, or any person who presents their identity as the manufacturer of the product by naming the product after themselves or any relevant trade description, as well as any person who renews the product.

  • - The manufacturer's agent in the Kingdom if the manufacturer is located outside the Kingdom.

  • - Any person in the supply chain whose activity affects the characteristics of the product.

• The Operator: The entity holding the activity license.

• Conformity Assessment Procedures: A document approved by the Board of Directors that clarifies the procedure used directly or indirectly for assessing conformity.

• Accepted Entities: Entities for conformity assessment that have been accepted by the Authority according to the Regulation for the Acceptance of Conformity Assessment Entities.

• Certificate of Conformity: The certificate issued by the Authority or one of the accepted entities; which confirms that the product or any batch of it complies with the relevant standard specifications.

• Supplier's Declaration of Conformity: A declaration from the supplier themselves that their product complies with the applicable legislative requirements, without any mandatory intervention from a third party - neither at the design stage nor at the production stage of the manufacturing process - and the declaration may rely on conducting tests on the product in accordance with the relevant legislation.

• Saudi Quality Mark: A mark approved by the Authority indicating that the establishment has an effective management system that ensures the production of a product compliant with the Regulation and the granting procedures and relevant Saudi standard specifications.

• Market Surveillance: The activities and measures taken by market surveillance authorities to verify that products meet the requirements stipulated in the relevant technical regulations, and that they do not pose a risk to health, safety, and the environment, or any other aspect related to protecting the public interest.

• Market Placement: The initial placement of the product in the Kingdom's market, for which either the manufacturer or the importer is responsible.

• Market Offering: Refers to any supply of the product for distribution, consumption, or use in the Kingdom within a commercial activity, whether for monetary compensation or free of charge.

• Withdrawal: Any action aimed at preventing products from being offered in the market and in the supply chain.

• Recall: Any action aimed at retrieving products that have been provided to the end user.

• Tank: A container for transporting dry gas that can be mounted on a tank truck/trailer or semi-trailer.

• Dry Gas: Mainly composed of methane, and may include some ethane and small amounts of heavier hydrocarbons and others.

• Trailer: A vehicle designed so that no essential part of it depends on the towing vehicle (truck), and a small flatbed semi-trailer is considered a trailer.

• Semi-Trailer: A vehicle designed to be coupled with a tractor via a drawbar, with part of its weight resting on the tractor.

• Tank Trailer: A tank mounted on a trailer, towed by a motor vehicle.

• Truck: A motor vehicle for towing a tank trailer.

• Tank Truck: A motor vehicle equipped with a tank trailer.

• Chassis Number: The unique number (VIN) for the tank base (chassis).

• Maximum Gross Weight: The weight of the tank truck including the fully loaded contents of the tank.

This Regulation applies to dry gas transport tanks of both types, compressed (CNG) and liquefied (LNG), where the requirements for the design, manufacturing, inspection, and testing of the tanks are specified according to the standard specifications mentioned in Appurtenance (1).

This Regulation aims to define the essential requirements for the transportation tanks of dry gas; included within the scope of this Regulation, and to specify the conformity assessment procedures that suppliers must adhere to, in order to ensure the compliance of this product and to maintain the health and safety of road users.

• The supplier and/or operator, when manufacturing or importing dry gas transport tanks, must comply with the following requirements:

• 1/4 General Requirements

  • 1/1/4 The technical and administrative conditions mentioned in the regulations and relevant standard specifications for the product.

  • 2/1/4 Obtaining the necessary licenses to conduct the activity from the competent authorities.

  • 3/1/4 The factory must have an effective quality management system, where a factory that has obtained a quality management system certificate in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001 is considered to meet the requirements of this clause.

  • 4/1/4 Compliance with the applicable administrative provisions and the provisions of this technical regulation for the renewal of activity licenses.

  • 5/1/4 The factory must possess the technical and administrative competencies capable of manufacturing tanks in accordance with the requirements of the relevant technical regulations and standard specifications.

  • 6/1/4 The tank manufacturing facility must be registered with the authority.

  • 7/1/4 Issuance of a certificate of conformity in accordance with the requirements of this technical regulation and the standard specifications outlined in Appendix (1).

• 2/4 Administrative Requirements

  • 1/2/4 Compliance with the registration of dry gas transport tanks in accordance with the Traffic Law and its executive regulation.

  • 2/2/4 Drivers of dry gas transport tanks must obtain the necessary licenses as determined by the competent authority.

  • 3/2/4 A certificate of conformity must be issued in accordance with the requirements of this technical regulation and the standard specifications included therein, as outlined in Appendix No. (1).

• 3/4 Safety Requirements

  • 1/3/4 Tanks must be equipped with the necessary safety equipment to reduce the risk of fire outbreak.

  • 2/3/4 Tanks must be equipped with the necessary firefighting equipment to limit the spread of fire.

• The data on the tank must include the following requirements:

• 1/5 The name of the supplier must be written in Arabic along with their commercial registration.

• 2/5 The chassis number of the trailer.

• 3/5 The data must be written on the tank from the right or left side.

• 4/5 The data must be written in a location that is clearly visible and easily accessible.

• 5/5 The data must be written in a manner that is engraved (stamped - etched) or sealed, or by any method that is difficult to erase or damage.

• 6/5 The appropriate warning labels for the tank or container must be displayed, in accordance with standard specifications.

• 7/5 The name of the accepted entity and its logo, the date of inspection, the expiration date of the inspection certificate, and the chassis number of the trailer.

• 1/6 The supplier - responsible for the manufacture of dry gas transport tanks - must obtain a certificate of conformity issued by one of the entities accepted by the Authority, in accordance with the conformity assessment model (Type 1-a) stated in the ISO/IEC 17067 standard, in accordance with the general regulation for conformity models issued by the Authority.

• 2/6 The accepted entity must implement conformity assessment procedures according to the specified model, ensuring compliance with the requirements of this regulation and the relevant Saudi standards; as outlined in the appurtenance (1).

• 3/6 Dry gas transport tanks are subject to an inspection before being put into service, and periodically every year after being put into service by one of the entities accepted by the Authority, in accordance with the applicable standards and international practices in the field.

• 4/6 The accepted inspection entity must place an inspection label on the tank, indicating the name of the accepted entity and its logo, the date of the periodic inspection, and the trailer chassis number, provided that the label is equipped with a Quick Response (QR) code for verifying the accuracy of its data.

• 5/6 The supplier must cooperate with regulatory entities and conformity assessment bodies, such as providing documentation of the technical file, certificates of conformity, inspection reports, and any other documented information that proves the product's compliance with the requirements of this regulation, whenever requested.

• 6/6 Factories that hold the Saudi Quality Mark or its equivalent are considered to meet the requirements stipulated in this regulation.

• The regulatory authorities, as part of their jurisdiction and powers, shall undertake the following:

• 1/7 The regulatory authorities shall verify that the tanks comply with the specified conformity assessment procedures and the technical documents attached to the shipments at the ports and factories.

• 2/7 The regulatory authorities have the right to randomly withdraw a sample from the tanks and refer it to the specialized laboratories to ensure its compliance with the requirements stated in this regulation.

• 3/7 The regulatory authorities have the right to charge the suppliers for the costs of conducting the tests and related matters.

• 4/7 In the event of detecting a non-compliance issue with the product, the regulatory authority shall withdraw the concerned products from the warehouses and take the legal actions against them.

• 5/7 The competent authority shall grant and renew licenses for the operation of tank truck transportation - covered under this regulation - after ensuring their compliance with the requirements of this technical regulation in accordance with the certificate of conformity, and the laws and procedures in force in the Kingdom.

• 6/7 The competent authority shall verify the registration documents of the tank trucks and ensure their compliance with the regulation, in accordance with the laws and procedures in force in the Kingdom.

• 7/7 In the event of detecting a non-compliance issue with the displayed or stored tank regarding the requirements of this technical regulation, the market surveillance authorities shall take all administrative actions to withdraw and recall the concerned product, and the procedures and penalties stated in Article (8) shall be applied, after taking the necessary actions.

• 1/9 The appendices attached to this Regulation, including the terms and definitions outlined in the standard specifications, are an integral part of its provisions, and the Authority has the right to amend any of these appendices whenever necessary.

• 2/9 This Regulation does not prevent the Supplier from complying with all other applicable laws/regulations in the Kingdom related to the handling and use of tankers, as well as the laws/regulations related to the environment, security, safety, and the Traffic Law and its executive regulations.

• 3/9 All Suppliers of tankers subject to the provisions of this Regulation must provide inspectors from regulatory authorities, market survey authorities, and relevant entities with all facilities and information they request to carry out their assigned tasks.

• 4/9 Tanker trucks covered by this Regulation must undergo periodic inspections, and it must be ensured that there is a specific chassis number for the trailer and that it meets all safety requirements for road use, in accordance with the applicable laws in the Kingdom.

• 5/9 If any situation arises that cannot be addressed under the provisions of this Regulation, or if any dispute arises in its application, the matter shall be referred to a specialized committee in the Authority to issue the appropriate decision regarding this situation or dispute, in a manner that serves the public interest.

• 6/9 Only the Authority has the right to interpret the provisions of this Regulation, and all beneficiaries of the application of this Regulation must comply with the interpretations issued by the Authority.