Port State Control

Question 1

Port State Control
What is a:

​Ship Inspection?
Flag State Inspection?
Ships Survey?

Answer 1

Ship Inspection:

• Looks at legal compliance to international law for flag state rules
• Only carried out by Flag State (MCA)

Flag State Inspection:

• British Ship looking at British Law onboard that ship

Ship Survey:

• If for the purposes of certifcation, and is a periodical survey, whether annual, intermediate, 5 yrs etc

Question 2

Port State Control
What is PSC?
&
What is a Port State Inspection?
(Only MCA in UK)

Answer 2

Port State Control:

• An internationally agreed regime for the inspection of foreign ships in other national ports by PSC inspectors.
• Purpose is prevent acces of substandard ships in their territorial waters

Port State Inspection:

• Inspection of foreign ships within a country’s territorial waters inspecting them to international minimum covention standard. SOLAS - MARPOL - MLC - STCW
• Ensures compliance

Question 3

Port State Control
What is Paris MOU

Answer 3

• The Port State Control in N. Europe is known as the Paris Memorandums of Understanding. (A standard format, computer based risk assessment)
• The PARIS MOU is made up of 25 European countries and also Canada and Russia.

Question 4

Port State Control
What are the basic principals of the Paris MOU?

Answer 4

• Checking visiting foreign ships to check 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 responsibilty to implement or ensure compliance.
• The Port Sate can require that defects be put right, and detain the ship for this purpose if necessary. (A safety net)
• A port states defense against sub standard shipping
• Creates a Risk Assessement and shares all details with other members.

Question 5

Port State Control
What happens at the end of a PSC Inspection?

Answer 5

• If the ship is found to comply, a ‘clean’ inspection report is issued (Form A) to the master
• if deficiencies are found, inspection report will include a deficiency report (Form B), indicating follow up actions
• Vessel may be issue with:
• Improvement notice
• Prohibition notice
• Detention notice

MSA 1995 (UK ONLY)

Question 6

Port State Control
What are these:
Improvement Notices?
Prohibition Notices?
Detention Notices?

Answer 6

Improvement Notice:

• An examiner walks past a crane, which is being painted and and sees that the SWL is not marked / taken off. Will give a time scale to rectify the problem. (2 weeks per LOLER Regs)

Prohibition Notice:

• Inspector decides to look a little further into the certification with regards to the crane. No serial number for wires and hooks, no maintenance records, no records of inspection or load tests. Crane deemed to be unsafe to use. Cannot be used until next yard period where all the above needs to be done. Vessel can still go to sea.

Detention Notice:

• If the issue had been with the SOLAS crane then the vessel is deemed to be unsafe to proceed to sea and will be detained until the problem has been rectified. Danger to Life, Property or Marine Environment.

Question 7

Port State Control
What is ANNEX 7 of the Paris MOU

Answer 7

SHIPS RISK PROFILE - Which looks at:

• Type of ship
• Age
• Flag - B/G/W List - IMO Audit
• Recognised organisation
• Company / Management
• Historic inspections - deficienceis or detentions etc

Question 8

Port State Control
What is the regime for PSC Inspections?

Answer 8

High Risk

• Periodic inspection every 5-6 months

Standard Risk

• Every 10-12 months

Low Risk

• Every 24-36 months

Question 9

Port State Control
What are the insepction windows?

Answer 9

• When a vessel falls into an inspection window then they are designated as a P2 (priority two) vessel and may be inspected
• If that window closes and they have yet to be inspected then they become a P1 Vessel and MUST be inspected by PSC as soon as a vessel comes into their district
• HRS - High Risk Ship = Receives an expanded inspection
• LRS - Low Risk Ship = Recieves an initial or more detailed inspection
• The regulation about PSC is in SOLAS Ch.11, part 1 Enhanced Safety

Question 10

Port State Control

• *What are Paris MOU**
• *‘Concerntrated Inspection Campaigns’?**

Answer 10

• They run from Sept 1st - Nov 30th
• Have a particular focus on their inspections e.g. MLC, Enclosed Space Drills, HoR

Question 11

Port State Control
PSC can inspect for the following?

Answer 11

• Minimum Age
• MEdical Certifcation
• Qualification of Seafarers
• Employement agreement
• Hours of Work and Rest
• Manning Levels
• Accomodation
• Onboard Recreational facilities
• Food and Catering
• Health and Safety and Accident Prevention
• Onboard Medical Care
• Onboard Complaints Procedure
• Payment of Wages

Question 12

Port State Control
Serious Breaches which could justify detention by PSC

Answer 12

• Persons under 16 years of age
• Hazardous work for under 18 year olds
• Insufficient manning
• Repeated breaches to hours of rest
• Sub standard accomodation, food, and water.
• No medical certs or equipment