
(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) Port State Control (PSC) plays a vital role in ensuring maritime safety, security, and environmental protection by verifying that ships comply with international regulations. As part of this responsibility, PSC officers (PSCOs) are guided by standardized procedures to ensure consistent and fair enforcement. This article aims to highlight key provisions of Resolution A.1185(33) - Procedures for Port State Control, which provide practical guidance for handling situations involving equipment failure or accidental damage on ships. By adhering to these procedures, PSCOs can uphold safety standards while minimizing unnecessary disruptions to maritime operations.
We want to emphasize key considerations for the actions of Port State Control Officers (PSCOs). The IMO Resolution recognizes that all shipboard equipment is inherently subject to potential failure, and that spare or replacement parts may not always be immediately available. In such circumstances, PSCOs are instructed to avoid causing unnecessary delays to the vessel, provided they are satisfied that suitable and safe alternative arrangements have been made to ensure continued compliance with safety standards.
The procedures also state that where the grounds for detention are the result of accidental damage suffered to a ship, no detention order should be issued, provided that:
- Due account has been given to the convention requirements regarding notification to the flag State Administration, the nominated surveyor or the RO responsible for issuing the relevant certificate;
- Prior to entering a port, the Master or Company has submitted to the Port State Authority details of the circumstances of the accident and the damage suffered and information about the required notification of the Flag State Administration;
- Appropriate remedial action, to the satisfaction of the Port State Authority, is being taken by the ship; and
- The Port State Authority has ensured, having been notified of the completion of the remedial action, that deficiencies which were clearly hazardous to safety, health or environment have been rectified.
Examples of failures which could have avoided unnecessary detentions, if ALL the above actions had been promptly implemented include:
- Black-out (ME Lub Oil alarm) during river pilotage.
- Oily water separator out of order.
- Generator inoperative.
- Overdue hydrostatic testing of CO2 bottles.
- Sat C fault critical error, printer broken.
- S Band Radar inoperative.
- Manouvering of the lifeboat in the water was not carried out (due to the ship having just departed a piracy area)
You can download below the IMO Resolution A.1185(33) - Procedures for Port State Control:
Source: IMO