(www.MaritimeCyprus.com)Â The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has outlined its official position regarding the new Recognised Organization (RO) performance assessment methodology set to be implemented under the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU). While IACS supports initiatives aimed at enhancing regulatory transparency, the organization warns that the upcoming framework establishes a disconnect between published performance metrics and the actual scope of RO responsibilities, creating operational risks across the global maritime sector.
Key Changes Under the New Paris MoU Methodology (Effective July 2027)
A new methodology for assessing the performance of Recognised Organizations will officially enter into force on 6 July 2027 under the Paris MoU.
This update represents a fundamental shift in Port State Control (PSC) evaluation:
Certificate-Linked Assessment: Under the new methodology, the link to the RO is no longer determined by whether the RO caused, contributed to, or could reasonably have prevented a deficiency. Instead, it is based solely on the statutory certificate to which the detainable deficiency is connected.
Three-Year Evaluation Window: RO performance will be evaluated over a rolling three-year period based on total inspections and detentions—adopting the same calculation approach currently applied to Flag State Administrations.
Primary Concerns Raised by IACS
IACS fully supports the broader objective of improving transparency and consistency in PSC performance assessments. However, the organization is concerned that the new methodology does not adequately reflect the actual level of RO involvement.
This disconnect risks generating widespread misunderstandings regarding RO roles and exposes vessel operators to misperceptions driven by published PSC data—directly affecting the Ship Risk Profile used by authorities to target ships for inspection.
Potential Risks for Maritime Stakeholders
The gap between generated PSC performance data and actual RO oversight could lead to several critical industry challenges:
Unjustified PSC Targeting: Ships may face unjustifiably frequent and extended PSC inspections because their Ship Risk Profile will be calculated using data that fails to reflect true RO quality.
Industry Misunderstanding: Stakeholders across the maritime supply chain may misinterpret the roles and statutory responsibilities of ROs due to misleading performance metrics.
Compromised Flag State Oversight: Flag States risk losing access to reliable RO performance data, making effective oversight more difficult.
Long-Term Impact on Maritime Safety and Enforcement
The new methodology could inadvertently trigger a shift in enforcement behavior. Flag States may begin requiring ROs to compensate for vessel deficiencies that, under international maritime conventions, remain the legal responsibility of shipowners and crew. Over time, this dynamic risks distorting the maritime safety regime by pushing ROs into a quasi-operational role they are neither mandated nor equipped to perform.
IACS remains fully committed to supporting effective action against substandard shipping. However, the association maintains that this shift in enforcement behavior will not improve maritime safety outcomes. Instead, it risks introducing regulatory ambiguity, arbitrage, and misaligned incentives across the global fleet.
For more details, access below the IACS paper RO performance methodology that will be used by the Paris and Tokyo MoUs:
Source: IACS
For more Guidance papers, and other documents from IACS, click HERE
