The port State control regimes which carry out inspections on ships to monitor and ensure compliance with international regulations are set to strengthen their collaboration with the IMO and amongst themselves.
In a workshop that took place from 24-26 October, at the IMO headquarters in London, regarding the port State control (PSC) MoU/Agreement Secretaries and Database Managers and Member States, the participants shared experiences, highlighted new projects and approved a wide range of recommendations, which are aimed to develop collaboration, harmonization and information sharing.
The workshop emphasized the growing number of PSC regimes implementing targeted inspections mechanisms, as well as incentive schemes, so that ships complying with international standards are subject to fewer inspections, while substandard ships are targeted more.
- PSC regimes agreed to explore the development of statistical compatibility of their systems. They also agreed to consider moving away from “black/grey/white lists”.
- PSC regimes agreed to convey to their regional governing bodies the recommended use of the results of interregional information exchanges in their internal procedures.
- The Workshop recommended that PSC regimes consider developing and maintaining, in their information systems, a coordinated list of under-performing ships, as well as the development of a common platform for interregional exchange to facilitate informal exchange among PSC regimes.
- The Workshop considered the possibility of establishing an outreach partnership between IMO and PSC regimes, to disseminate the outcome of the work of IMO, collect first-hand feedback on implementation and develop technical cooperation and capacity building activities.
- The Workshop recommended that IMO consider developing a harmonized training manual for use by flag State inspectors and PSC officers. To support the implementation of the Code of Good Practice included in the IMO Procedures for PSC, the III Sub-committee will be invited to consider developing a format for a “PSC letter to the Master”. A dedicated GISIS facility for complaints was also recommended.
- The Workshop suggested the simplification of reporting procedures for port States, in the context of practical data management involving both IMO and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
- Finally, the meeting recommended that future workshops be held every two years. The agenda should include discussion on the use of body cameras by PSC officers.
Funding from the IMO “Voyage Together Trust Fund” supported the participation of representatives of the nine regional PSC regimes at the seventh IMO Workshop for PSC MoU/Agreement Secretaries and Database Managers, with an increased focus on Member States’ representatives.
The meeting was chaired by Dr. Vitaly Klyuev (Russian Federation), and Ms. Carien Droppers (Paris MoU) was Vice-Chair.
Maybe the IMO should look into the plight of the maritime security operators. I have been involved with maritime security (anti-piracy operations HOA for the past 9 years and the operator never get’s paid on time and are being discriminated by the maritime security companies when you are a third world national. You get placed on so called floating armouries and these vessels do not comply to maritime rules and regulations.