www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The United States Coast Guard’s Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance has released its 2024 annual report over US port state control. The aim of the report is to “provide the global maritime industry key statistics and compliance trends in relation to compliance with U.S. and international regulations, such as the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS).”
Vessel Arrivals, Exams, and Detentions
In 2024, a total of 11,273 individual vessels, from 79 different flag administrations, made 84,034 port calls to the U.S. 8,710 PSC exams were conducted. These exam numbers increased over the 2023 total of 8,278. The total number of ships detained in 2024 for environmental protection, safety, and security related deficiencies decreased from 101 to 82.
Flag Administration Performance
Flag Administration performance for 2024 increased with the overall annual detention rate decreasing from 1.22% to 0.94%. The three-year rolling detention ratio increased from 0.94% to 1.01%. Belize was the only flag Administration removed from the Targeted Flag List this year.
Detention and Association Appeals
In 2024, the Coast Guard received a total of twenty-seven appeals. Nine appeals challenged the overall merits of the detention. For those merit appeals, two were granted, five were denied, and two are under review at this time. In addition to receiving appeals contesting the overall merits of a detention, we also receive appeals requesting the removal of a party’s association with a detention.
For those parties appealing their association with a detention, seventeen were received. Of those, seven were granted, nine were denied, and one is still under review. In 2024, one appeal was received requesting reconsideration for one of its ships being denied entry into any U.S. port as a result of being detained three times within a twelve-month period. That appeal was denied.
The Coast Guard welcomes any appeal based on a control action or association of a detention, as well as any deficiency issued by the Coast Guard. For more information on the Coast Guard’s appeal process, please see our process guidance on page seven of this report.
QUALSHIP 21 and E-Zero Programs
The QS21 program ended calendar year 2024 with an impressive 5,141 vessels enrolled. In 2024, one flag administration lost their eligibility while two new flags became eligible. We would like to welcome the flag administrations of India and Turkey for becoming QS21 eligible this year. The full list of QS21 flag administrations is located in Chapter 2 of this report.
The E-Zero program focuses on environmental stewardship and worldwide compliance with international environmental conventions. At the close of 2024, 462 ships were awarded the E-Zero designation.
Enhanced Exam Program
In 2021, the Coast Guard initiated the Enhanced Exam Program (EEP). This program, like the Concentrated Inspection Campaigns (CICs) carried out by port state control MoUs, is intended to increase focus on specific aspects of ship safety but on a quarterly basis.
This increased focus may vary due to the implementation of new regulations, deficiency trends, or other PSC program interests. The goal of the EEP is to generate meaningful data on exam points of interest, while limiting the additional workload of the PSCOs.
The information collected can then be considered for evaluating current policy effectiveness and determine if adjustments need to be made in the future. In 2024, EEP campaign topics included immersion suits, engine room fire safety, vessel Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) ratings and working and living conditions.
As new technology continues to be integrated into the foreignflagged fleet, the Coast Guard will continue to leverage data in this manner to better evaluate evolving risk on vessels subject to PSC authority. General statistics resulting from the EEPs:
For more details, click below to download the full USCG Annual report:
