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Port State Control

PSC inspection checklist: what port state control checks first, and the 2026 cargo securing campaign

Port State Control can board any foreign ship in port. The officer starts at the gangway table with certificates and crew papers, then moves to operational checks — and may ask for a drill. One detainable deficiency can hold the ship. This checklist follows the order a PSC officer usually works in.

Updated 7 October 2026 · Written by SeaReady in our own words. Not affiliated with OCIMF, RightShip, CDI, any MoU or any administration — always check the current official documents.

1. Certificates and documents

  • All statutory certificates full-term and endorsed: SOLAS, Load Line, the MARPOL set, ISM DOC and SMC, ISPS ISSC, MLC, BWM, AFS. (Detention risk)
  • Class survey status clean — no overdue surveys or unplanned conditions of class. (Detention risk)
  • Conditions of class and exemption letters kept with the certificate they belong to.
  • Approved manuals on board: stability, loading, cargo securing manual, SOPEP/SMPEP, ballast water and garbage management plans.
  • Insurance certificates (CLC, wreck removal, MLC financial security) current and posted.

2. Crew documents

  • Crew numbers, ranks and certificates match the safe manning document. (Detention risk)
  • Original CoCs with flag endorsements on board for every officer. (Detention risk)
  • Medical certificates in date for the whole crew, not just officers.
  • GMDSS and tanker or other special endorsements where the voyage needs them.
  • Rest-hour records complete, believable and signed — see the rest-hour rules.

3. Drills and training

  • Fire and abandon-ship drills current — monthly on cargo ships, weekly on passenger ships. (Detention risk)
  • Enclosed space entry and rescue drill within the last 2 months. (Detention risk)
  • Emergency steering drill within the last 3 months, with bridge-to-steering-gear communication tested.
  • Lifeboat launching records; crews can describe their duties.
  • Full intervals in our drill frequency guide.

4. Life-saving and fire-fighting equipment

  • Lifeboat engines start ahead and astern; launching appliances serviced. (Detention risk)
  • EPIRB battery and hydrostatic release in date, float-free path clear. (Detention risk)
  • Fixed fire systems serviced; extinguisher tags match the service records. (Detention risk)
  • Breathing apparatus charged with spare cylinders; EEBDs in place; compressor air quality tested.
  • Emergency fire pump starts and gives two jets; isolating valves free.

5. MLC living and working conditions

  • Accommodation clean, air conditioning working, laundry and recreation usable.
  • Galley hygiene and provision stores at the right temperature, with logs. (Detention risk)
  • Drinking water tested and recorded.
  • Crew know the on-board complaint procedure.
  • Wages paid on time with accounts; no expired employment agreements. (Detention risk)

CIC 2026: cargo securing (1 Sep – 30 Nov 2026)

During the campaign PSC officers in the Paris and Tokyo MoU regions complete an extra 10-question questionnaire on every eligible ship. Seven of the ten can be detainable. Be ready to show:

  • An approved cargo securing manual that covers the cargo actually carried.
  • Enough certified securing gear for the cargo, in good condition, with inspection and discard records.
  • Cargo secured as the manual says — the officer will walk the deck or holds against the stowage plan.
  • Ship’s securing points (pad-eyes, D-rings, lashing points) in good condition.
  • Records of lashing checks and re-tensioning during the voyage.
  • Officers and crew who know the manual and safe lashing practice, and who plan the work with safety and rest in mind.
  • Damaged securing gear reported and repaired through the SMS.

Next year: enclosed space entry has been confirmed as the 2027 campaign.

PSC in numbers

Regime (2025)Figures
Tokyo MoU35,546 inspections, 1,255 detentions
Paris MoU688 detentions, detention rate 4.18%

Coming up: the amended EU PSC Directive applies from 6 July 2027 and the Paris MoU is changing how its ship risk profile is calculated from the same date, so a ship’s inspection frequency in Europe may change.

Questions seafarers ask

What is the CIC for 2026?

The 2026 Concentrated Inspection Campaign of the Paris and Tokyo MoUs is on cargo securing. It runs from 1 September to 30 November 2026 alongside normal PSC inspections. The questionnaire has 10 questions and 7 of them can be grounds for detention.

What is the CIC for 2027?

Enclosed space entry has been confirmed as the 2027 campaign topic. Earlier campaigns on enclosed spaces found many deficiencies, so start preparing your entry procedures, gas detectors and rescue drills early.

What are the most common reasons for PSC detention?

Detentions usually come from fire safety, life-saving appliances, ISM failures, certificates and crew documents, and MLC living and working conditions. Operational checks — a drill that falls apart, an emergency fire pump that will not deliver — weigh heavily.

Is the PSC checklist the same everywhere?

The core items are the same under every MoU because they come from the same conventions (SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Lines, STCW, MLC). How ships are selected, and the campaign questionnaires, differ slightly between regimes such as the Paris MoU, Tokyo MoU and USCG.

Run the PSC checklist before arrival

SeaReady’s PSC toolkit has these checklists with detention-risk flags, the current CIC questionnaire in our own words, and next-port targeting for Paris and Tokyo MoU ports.

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