Port state control

inspection
ensures that
vessels operating
in international
waters comply
with
international
conventions,
which are
created by
international
treaties for safety
and environment
protection.

CAPTAIN
VARTUL
DIXIT
Background of Port State Control Inspection

The primary responsibility for ships' standards rests with the

flag State - but port State control provides a "safety net" to
catch the substandard ships.
Nine regional agreements on port State control- Memorandum
of Understanding or MoUs - have been signed:
Europe and the north Atlantic (Paris MoU);
Asia and the Pacific (Tokyo MoU);
Latin America (Acuerdo de Vina del Mar);
Caribbean (Caribbean MoU);
West and Central Africa (Abuja MoU);
The Black Sea region (Black Sea MoU);
The Mediterranean (Mediterranean MoU);
The Indian Ocean (Indian Ocean MoU);
The Riyadh MoU.
The purpose of regular meets and to form various
memorandum of understanding was to establish control
measures against substandard ships trading worldwide without
proper safety compliance.
The first ‘Paris MOU’ was signed in year-1978.
Principle and function of port state control

The principle of port state inspection is ‘No more favourable

treatment policy’.
All countries are treated alike during inspection.
Special attention is paid to bulk carrier vessel, passenger
Vessels, ro-ro vessels, which may present special hazards
To environment etc.
In ‘Paris MOU’ the interval between one port state
inspection
to next port state inspection was decided as 6 months. In
today’s context port
state inspection carried out even in shorter intervals in
different ports of the world. The factors governing selection
of ship for port state inspection are following:
 Age of vessel; and
 Type of vessel; and
 Vessel’s past history; and
 Date of last inspection.
Inspection is carried out by checking of statutory certificates,
physical verification of life saving appliances
Firefighting appliances and ‘MARPOL-related appliances.

The port state control (PSC) makes inspection of ships in port,

taken by a port state control officer (PSCO). Annual report of
Paris MoU reported that a total of 74,713 deficiencies were
recorded during port state control inspections in 2007. A total
of 1,250 detentions took place that year. Detention of the ship
is the last course of action, that a PSCO would take upon
finding deficiencies aboard the vessel.
Courses of action a PSCO may impose on a ship with
deficiencies (in order of ascending gravity) are:
Deficiencies can be rectified within 14 days for minor
infractions.
Under specific conditions, deficiencies can be rectified when
the ship arrives at the next port.
Deficiencies must be rectified before the ship can depart the
port.
Port state inspection checks can be done in following
steps:
Check that all statutory certificates are valid;
Check that oil record book is properly up-to-date;
Check that ODMCS system is working;
Check that 15 PPM device is working;
Check that oil filtering device is working;
Check that IOPP tanks are in order;
Check that ‘Garbage Record Book’ is up-to-date;
Check that vessel has ‘Garbage Management Plan’;
Check that Garbage up-keeping is satisfactory;
Check that provision room is neat and clean;
Check that no open garbage is stored in any place;
Check that hygienic condition is maintained;
Check that ‘CRB’ in case of chemical tanker is up-to-date.
Check that Safety compliance is implemented on-board.
Check that vessel has safety and environment protection
policy.
Check that ‘Life Saving Appliance’ all items are in good
condition.
Check that ‘Fire Fighting Appliance’ all items are in good
condition;
Check that servicing of ‘LSA’ and ‘FFA’ is in order.
Check that ‘IMO’ safety symbols are in good order;
Check that drill record is up-to-date;
Ensure crew can carry-out drill if asked by PSCO;
Check that house-keeping is in order;
Check that calibration of o2-analyser is done;
Check that gas detector equipments are in good order;
Check that General emergency alarm is working;
Check that charts, ENC charts are up-to-date;
Check that ‘Bridge-equipments’ are working;
Check that ‘GMDSS’ equipments are working;

After the inspection ‘PSCO’ always issue certificate

(document) that ‘PSC’ inspection is carried out and the result
of inspection;
As a ship’s master, officers ensure vessel remains free from
defects;
Ship staff should check that weather tight doors are in good
condition;
Ship staff should check that water-tight opening and closing
arrangements are in good condition;
Ship staff should check thar condition of ventilators are in
good order;
Ship staff should check that air-pipes are in good condition;
Ship staff should check that cargo hold hatch covers are in
good condition;
Ship staff should check that draft-marks are properly painted
on all 6 sides of vessel;
Ship staff should check that ‘Load-line marks’ are properly
marked;
Ship staff should check that ship’s log-books are properly up-
to-date;
Ship staff should check and ensure that no leakages exists
In engine room or on deck.
Brief about ‘Latin American port state control MOU’
This ‘MOU’ was signed on year-1992. 10 South-American
Countries had a meeting for port state inspection and outcome
was formation of ‘MOU’.

Brief about ‘Asia-pacific MOU’

This ‘MOU’ was signed on year-1993. 17 members were the
Initial party to this ‘MOU’. It is also called as ‘Tokyo MOU’.

Brief about ‘Caribbean MOU’

This ‘MOU was signed on year-1996’. 20 members were the
initial party to this ‘MOU’.
Brief about ‘Indian MOU’
This ‘MOU’ was signed on 1998. 20 members were the initial
party to this MOU.
Brief about ‘Mediterranean MOU’
‘MOU’ meeting was held in Barcelona in year-1995.
Brief about ‘Black-sea MOU’
Black-sea countries formed black-sea ‘MOU’; it checks
compliance with various convention.

Riyadh MOU
6 Gulf-countries signed this ‘MOU’ in Year-2004.
‘Abuja MOU’
‘West and Central-African’ countries signed this ‘MOU’.
‘PSC’ inspection is carried out in these African countries
under ‘Abuja-MOU’.

Common deficiencies found in ‘psc’ inspection is mainly

Of following kinds:
Oil leakages in engine room;
Shortage or defect in life saving appliances;
Shortage or defect in firefighting appliances;
Entries in oil record book not in order.
Salient feature of port state inspection:
It is very effective and practical system of controlling the
defects.
Company and ship staff remain prepared and more attentive
for running ship without deficiencies.
Less incident, accident surely causes improvement in safety.
Less or all most negligible incidents of environment-pollution

The End.