Port state control authorities in Europe will introduce a new, more targeted inspection regime from the beginning of 2011.
The Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control agreed at a meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland, last week to bring into force its New Inspection Regime, replacing the existing system.
Paris MoU secretary-general Richard Schiferli said that the new regime should “hopefully result in fewer inspections overall but better inspections”. Mr Schiferli said that ships would be grouped according to risk criteria, with different inspection regimes according to their risk category.
“Ships with better records will receive credit,” he said. “Quality ship operators and shipowners will be rewarded for their commitment to and investment in safety.”
There will be three risk categories. Ships deemed low risk will only be subject to inspections every 24-36 months. Ships designated standard risk will be inspected every 12 months, while those deemed high risk will face inspections every six months or more frequently. Inspections of high-risk ships will be more in-depth.
Inspections will incorporate the requirements of the new international Labour Organisation Maritime Labour Convention, which could come into force in 2011.
A range of criteria will be used to assess risks for individual ships, including the performance record of the owner/operator that is identified on the ship’s International Safety Management Code certificate as being responsible for the vessel.
Risk will also be assessed on the record of the ship’s flag state and recognised organisation, age and type. Mr Schiferli said that more detailed information on the criteria for assessing risk would be released later this year.
A new information system called the Hybrid European Targeting and Inspection System will be introduced alongside the NIR. The NIR has been developed as a result of a review of the Paris MoU port state control regime and in parallel with the European Union’s third Maritime Safety Package.
Source: Lloyds List, June 2009
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