The Paris MoU has released its 2023 Annual Report, offering a comprehensive overview of its activities and statistics for the year. A significant development in 2023 was the inclusion of the Maritime Authority of Montenegro as a member of the Paris MoU on Port State Control as of July 1, 2023. This membership strengthens the safety net established by the joint efforts of the Paris MoU members throughout the region, particularly in the Adriatic Sea. With cargo destined for mainland Europe, ships are now compelled to discharge in ports within the Paris MoU’s jurisdiction, subjecting them to the MoU’s risk-based inspection methodology, reports Paris MoU.
Detention Rates and Trends
The overall detention rate for 2023 stood at 3.81%, a decrease from the 4.25% recorded in 2022. However, this rate has not yet returned to the pre-pandemic levels, such as the 2.98% detention rate observed in 2019. The Paris MoU intends to closely monitor this trend in the coming years.
The analysis of deficiencies indicates no specific convention or part of a convention showing significantly higher non-compliance compared to previous years. The most frequently recorded deficiencies include:
- SOLAS Chapter II-2 (Construction-Fire Protection, Fire Detection and Fire Extinction) with 17.3%
- SOLAS Chapter II-1 (Construction – Structure, Subdivision and Stability, Machinery, and Electrical Installations) with 11.5%
- MLC Title IV (Health Protection, Medical Care, Welfare, and Social Security Protection) with 10.0%
Recurring Areas of Concern and Bans
Specific deficiencies such as ISM (4.8%), fire doors (3.2%), and cleanliness of the engine room (1.4%) continue to show high rates of non-compliance. The number of refusals-of-access (bans) issued in 2023 remained low, with eleven bans issued, consistent with numbers from previous years.
Flag and Recognized Organizations’ Performance
In terms of flag performance, there were no major changes compared to the previous year. The distribution of flag states across the White, Grey, and Black categories has remained relatively stable.
Regarding Recognized Organizations (ROs), no concerning trends indicating significant deviations from previous years’ performance were identified. A positive observation is that the number of ROs in the lowest performance category remains small.
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Source: Paris MOU
