Tankers inspected for damage stability by PARIS MoU
Press release 27 July 2010
The Paris Memorandum on Port State Control will start a Concentrated Inspection
Campaign (CIC) to verify correct damage stability on oil tankers, chemical tankers
and gas carriers. This inspection campaign will last for 3 months, starting on 1
September and ending on 30 November 2010.
The reasons for this CIC include that inspections showed tankers frequently sailing when not
complying with damage stability requirements or had no means of assessing damage stability
or were sailing in a loading condition not covered by the approved stability book.
In practice the CIC will mean that during every port State control inspection of a tanker
within the Paris MoU region, the stability information book and other applicable
documentation shall be verified in more detail for compliance with relevant regulations.
Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) shall use a list of 9 selected items to verify critical areas
for tanker stability. The questionnaire will be published on the website of Paris MoU.
A special training programme was organized to prepare PSCOs for the campaign.
When deficiencies are found, actions by the port State may vary from recording a deficiency
to detention of the ship until deficiencies have been rectified.
In case of detention, publication in the monthly list of detentions available on the Paris MoU
web page will take place.
The results of the campaign will be analysed and findings will be presented to the governing
bodies of the MoU for submission to the IMO.
Port State Control is a check on visiting foreign ships to see that they comply with
international rules on safety, pollution prevention and seafarers living and working conditions.
It is a means of enforcing compliance where the owner and flag State have failed in their
responsibility to implement or ensure compliance. The port State can require defects to be
put right, and detain the ship for this purpose if necessary. It is therefore also a port State’s
defence against visiting substandard shipping.
Regional Port State Control was initiated in 1982 when fourteen European countries agreed to
co-ordinate their port State inspection effort under a voluntary agreement known as the Paris
Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU). Current membership
includes 27 countries. The European Commission, although not a signatory to the Paris MoU,
is also a member of the Committee.
At least once a year the inspections focus on a certain area of concern or when new
requirements enter into force. In the fall of 2011 the inspection campaign will be aimed at
verifying that ships are in compliance with the requirements for structural safety and the
international Convention on Load Lines.
Inspection reports are recorded on a central database SIReNaC located in St Malo - France,
available for search and daily updating by MoU member countries. Inspection results can be
viewed on the Paris MoU public website and are also provided to the Equasis public database.
The Secretariat of the MoU is provided by the Netherlands Ministry of Transport, Public works
and Water Management and located in The Hague.
For more information on the Paris MoU on Port State Control please consult our Internet Website on the following address: www.parismou.org
Paris MoU