Revised Port State Control procedures will enter into force in January 2024

The 9th session of the Sub-Committee on the Implementation of IMO Instruments (III) finalized draft amendments to the Procedures for Port State Control (A.1155(32)) at its meeting from July 31 to August 4, 2023. These amendments include guidelines regarding the detention of ships under MARPOL Annex VI. The revised Guidelines are set to be adopted during Assembly 33 in December 2023 and will become effective on January 1, 2024.

The amendments cover several areas, including:

• The inclusion of the absence of valid required Statements of Compliance for Carbon Intensity Rating from 2023 onwards as a detainable deficiency (Regulation 28).
• Clarifications regarding port State control officers’ (PSCOs) approach when a ship changes flag or company, and evidence shows that the losing Administration did not comply with regulations or data was not provided during the ship transfer.
• Consideration of an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) failing to meet MARPOL Annex VI, regulations 14 and 14.4 as a detainable deficiency for ships equipped with an equivalent means of SOx compliance (EGCS).
• Consideration of fuel oil with sulfur content exceeding MARPOL Annex VI regulation 14 limits in combustion units not connected to the EGCS as a detainable deficiency.

IMO’s report from the Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III 9)/ Harmonizing port State control (PSC) activities and procedures worldwide

The Sub-Committee noted that information provided by all 10 PSC regimes revealed that 63,761 inspections were carried out in 2020, 74,574 in 2021 and 81,346 in 2022.

In 2020, 1,530 detentions were reported, 1,746 in 2021 and 2,160 in 2022. The overall detention rate increased from 2.34% in 2021 to 2.66% in 2022. The Sub-Committee considered the regulatory basis for port State control, roles and responsibilities of Contracting Governments in their right to exercise port State control, and the supporting role of IMO.

Additionally, the Sub-Committee considered the prospect of possible future developments, which include potential development of an overarching database under the umbrella of IMO; the need for analysis of PSC data stored in GISIS to establish trends to support regulatory and policy developments; and the increasing number of PSC MoUs/Agreements working on the development of a port State control regime for fishing vessels.

Posted in PMDS