What happens during a Port State Control inspection?
A PSC inspection is an examination by port country maritime authorities verifying compliance with SOLAS, MARPOL, MLC, and STCW. Inspectors check vessel certificates, safety equipment, crew qualifications, and living conditions. Serious deficiencies result in detention.
Port State Control (PSC) inspections are conducted under regional MOU agreements — Paris MOU covers Europe and North Atlantic, Tokyo MOU covers Asia-Pacific.
Inspectors typically board without prior notice and examine vessel certificates (flag state, class, ISSC, radio), safety equipment (liferafts, fire suppression, EPIRBs), crew STCW and flag state endorsement certificates, MARPOL compliance (oil record book, garbage management plan), and MLC 2006 compliance (crew contracts, hours of rest records, accommodation).
Deficiencies are graded by severity. For less serious deficiencies the inspector sets a deadline for correction. Major deficiencies result in detention — the vessel cannot depart until the issue is resolved and the inspector signs off.
Deficiencies that can lead to detention include: expired liferaft certificates, incomplete oil record books, crew STCW certificates not endorsed by the flag state, insufficient hours of rest documentation, and inadequate SMS records.
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