Tag: PSC

The UK is part of the Paris MOU PSC Regime. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the UK Maritime and Coastguard agency ( UK MCA) which publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.

Operators proceeding to ports in Gabon should note that all vessels are subject to PSC inspection and there is currently a long list of “deficiencies” which vessels should take care to try to rectify beforehand, or otherwise risk being fined, the London P&I Club warned citing information from correspondents TCI/Eltvedt & O’Sullivan. 

The North West Europe area, a high density trading route inside the North Sea ECA, is considered as one of the most challenging PSC areas within the Paris MoU region. The main ports included in this area are: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium) and Hamburg (Germany).

The Bahamas Maritime Authority announced that it recorded its lowest ever number of annual detentions after port state control (PSC) inspections. Specifically, only 24 ships were detained during 2018. The Bahamas is white listed and considered a ‘low risk’ flag within the Paris MOU and Tokyo MOU. It has also secured Qualship 21 status from the US Coast Guard.

Tokyo MoU with almost 40,000 inspection per year forms the biggest regime of PSC worldwide. Large countries such as China, Australia and Japan are members of Tokyo MoU and contribute to safety inspections.

During 2017, Paris MoU conducted 17,920 PSC inspections which led to 685 detentions (detention rate 3.82%). 40,414 deficiencies were reported from which 3,680 led to a detention (9.11% of total).

Australia region is the second most common trade destination in Tokyo MoU, following China, in which AMSA is responsible for conducting inspections. The detainable items are not only recorded in detailed inspections but also in typical/ initial inspections.

In general, tankers have a better PSC performance than bulk carriers but what about their age? Although it is usually common to compare vessels as per their vessel type, when considering ship performance other parameters, such as age, may result to interesting findings as well.

After a successful refloating of the Russian bulk carrier 'Kuzma Minin' last week off Cornwell, UK MCA Surveyors conducted a PSC Inspection in the early evening of 18 December and confirmed a breach in one of the fuel tanks. Tank readings indicate the tank has filled with water as a consequence of the grounding, however no pollution has been reported. 

The Maritime Authorities of the Paris MoU and the Tokyo MoU on Port State Control will start issuing a letter of warning from 1st January 2019 on the sulphur content of marine fuels during inspections in order to increase awareness of and to encourage timely compliance with the new requirements.