New Procedures for Port State Control (PSC) 22.01.2024 00:00Revised PSC procedures effective from January 2024.
The Sub-Committee on the Implementation of IMO Instruments finalised the draft amendments to the Procedures for Port State Control (A.1155(32)). The draft amendments include guidelines for the detention of ships under MARPOL Annex VI. The revisions to the Guidelines are expected to be adopted at Assembly 33 (Dec 2023) and will enter into force 1 January 2024:
The revisions include draft amendments to:
- Guidelines for the detention of ships under MARPOL Annex VI (Appendix 2, Section 5, Detainable Deficiencies) were amended to include:
– The absence of a valid required Statement(s) of Compliance for Carbon Intensity Rating from 2023 and onwards of each following year (Regulation 28) would be considered as a detainable deficiency.
– It was clarified that port State control officers (PSCOs) should take a pragmatic approach if a ship has changed flag and/or company and there is evidence the losing Administration has not acted in accordance with regulation/s or data was not provided by the previous company when the ship was transferred. - On ships provided with an equivalent means of SOx compliance, i.e. an EGCS:
– It would be considered as a detainable deficiency if an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (EGCS) fails to provide effective equivalence to the requirements in MARPOL Annex VI, regulations 14 and 14.4; and
– It would be considered as a detainable deficiency if the sulphur content of any fuel oil being used in combustion units not connected to the EGCS exceeds the limits stipulated in MARPOL Annex VI regulation 14 (considering the provisions of MARPOL Annex VI regulation 18.2).
The revised Procedures for Port State Control are expected to be adopted at IMO Assembly 33 (Dec 2023) and will enter into force 1 January 2024.
