2024 PSC Annual Reports: A Global Review

1. INTRODUCTION

Every year, the world’s major Port State Control (PSC) regimes publish detailed reports that shed light on the safety and compliance of vessels operating in their regions. These reports are vital indicators of safety, crew welfare, pollution prevention, and operational reliability.

This article analyzes the 2024 annual reports from:

• United States Coast Guard (USCG)
• Paris MOU (Jan–Jun 2024)
• Black Sea MOU
• Tokyo MOU
• Indian Ocean MOU

We cover inspections, detentions, deficiencies, and operational impacts.

2. GENERAL STATISTICS

• 140,000+ port calls
• 71,730 inspections
• 150,000+ deficiencies
• 3,047 detentions

3. DEFICIENCIES BY SHIP TYPE

Bulk carriers and general cargo/multipurpose ships faced the most detentions:

4. DEFICIENCIES BY CATEGORY

Key deficiency categories across regions:

• Fire Safety Measures: Tokyo (15,406), USCG (1,589), India (1,831)
• Life-Saving Appliances: Tokyo (10,263), India (1,019)
• Safety of Navigation: Tokyo (8,066), Black Sea (2,562), India (1,298)
• Propulsion & Machinery: Tokyo (5,008), India (907)
• Living/Working Conditions: Tokyo (3,844), India (631), Black Sea (1,750)

Top 5 Deficiencies by Region

USCG

• Fire Safety (1,589)
• Life-saving Appliances (529)
• Stability & Structure (382)
• Propulsion Machinery (359)
• ILO (323)

Paris MOU

• ISM (5,980)
• Fire Doors (4,284)
• Seafarer Employment (2,092)
• Engine Cleanliness (2,001)
• Auxiliary Engine (1,885)

Black Sea MOU

• Navigation (2,562)
• Fire Safety (1,655)
• Life-saving Appliances (1,804)
• Propulsion (1,190)
• Emergency Systems (966)

Tokyo MOU

• Fire Safety (15,406)
• Life-saving Appliances (10,263)
• Navigation (8,066)
• Water/Weather Tightness (6,106)
• Cargo Ops & Equipment (5,040)

India MOU

• Fire Safety (1,831)
• Navigation (1,298)
• Life-saving Appliances (1,019)
• Water Tightness (935)
• Propulsion (907)

5. CONSEQUENCES OF DEFICIENCIES

• Crew Time Wasted: 20–40 crew-hours per detention
• Off-Hire Costs: 650+ bulk carrier detentions × $20,000 = $13M in potential losses
• Other Effects:
  • Charter reputation
  • Insurance premiums
  • Vetting for oil & gas

6. CONCLUSIONS

While frameworks are stronger, gaps persist in:

• Fire safety
• Navigation systems
• Life-saving equipment

For Operators:

• Prioritize fire and evacuation drills
• Automate ISM tracking
• Review past deficiencies

For Regulators:

• Harmonize MOU practices
• Enable predictive risk modeling
• Encourage early reporting

References

• Black Sea MOU
• India MOU
• Tokyo MOU
• USCG