The Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding (BS MoU) on Port State Control (PSC) has released its 2024 annual report, reflecting the significant impact of the ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine on maritime operations in the region. The report shows a decline in inspections, a rise in detention rates, and a concerning increase in deficiencies, raising alarms about the safety, security, and environmental compliance of ships operating in the Black Sea.
Inspections Decline, Detention Rates Rise
In 2024, only 4,587 inspections were conducted—a 13.4% decrease from 2023 and the second-lowest in BS MoU’s history. The number of individual ships inspected dropped to 3,304, the lowest ever recorded. Despite fewer inspections, the average detention rate increased sharply to 4.71%, suggesting a higher prevalence of serious safety and regulatory violations. The regional detention rate by ship reached 5.72%, continuing a troubling upward trend.
Deficiency Trends Reveal Safety Weaknesses
A staggering 17,285 deficiencies were reported in 2024, with 68.45% of inspections uncovering issues. The most frequent categories were:
-
Safety of navigation (2,562)
-
Life-saving appliances (1,804)
-
Health and medical care/social security (1,750)
-
Fire safety (1,655)
-
Documents (1,286)
These accounted for over half of all deficiencies. Additionally, 386 ISM-related deficiencies were found, of which 76 were detainable, emphasizing gaps in ship safety management systems.
Aging Fleet and High-Risk Ship Types Under Scrutiny
Older ships continue to dominate inspections. Vessels aged 16–20 years made up the largest group (28.43%), followed by ships over 35 years old (16.81%). In terms of ship types, general cargo/multipurpose vessels led with 38.09% of inspections, followed by bulk carriers and oil/chemical tankers. Among 1,055 detainable deficiencies, the top categories were:
-
-
Safety of navigation (15.9%)
-
Fire safety (12.6%)
-
Emergency systems (11.1%)
These indicate persistent risks in critical safety areas, especially aboard older and more frequently inspected ship types.
-
General Cargo and Bulk Carriers Most Inspected
The most commonly inspected vessels were:
-
General cargo/multipurpose ships – 1,747 inspections (38.09%)
-
Bulk carriers – 1,516 inspections (33.05%)
-
Oil/chemical tankers – 500 inspections (10.90%)
These three categories together made up 82% of all inspections, and are therefore central to any risk-reduction strategies moving forward.
ISM and Emergency Systems Lead in Detainable Deficiencies
In 2024, 1,055 detainable deficiencies were found, especially in areas critical to vessel safety:
-
Navigation safety (15.9%)
-
Fire safety (12.6%)
-
Emergency systems (11.1%)
-
Life-saving appliances (7.8%)
-
ISM compliance (7.2%)
A total of 76 ISM-related issues were severe enough to warrant detention, indicating a persistent weakness in safety management practices.
Did you subscribe to our Daily newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe!
Source: SAFETY4SEA
