What is the Port State Control?

The Korean Government is committed to the protection of life and property at sea and to the preservation of the marine environment. The Port State Control is one of the strategies used to ensure that these objectives are achieved. The Port State Control(PSC) comes into the scene when shipowners, classification societies and Flag State Administrations have failed to comply with the requirements of the international maritime conventions. Although it is well understood that the ultimate responsibility for implementing conventions is left to the Flag States, Port States are entitled to control foreign ships visiting their own ports to ensure that any deficiencies found and rectified before they are allowed to sail. Port State Control is regarded as measures complementary to the Flag State Control.

Action of Inspection and Detention of a Ship

PSC officers may visit a ship at any time to inspect and give instructions to rectify deficiencies found. If a ship is unseaworthy or substandard under relevant instruments, the PSC officer will issue a detention order to ensure the major deficiencies found to be rectified before departure.

Relevant Instruments

• The International Convention on Load Lines(ILL)
• The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea(SOLAS)
• The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships(MARPOL)
• The International Convention on Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers(STCW)
• The Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea(COLREG)
• The International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of ships(ITC)
• The Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) convention(ILO)

Selection of ships for inspection

• Ships which have not been inspected by any of the other authorities within previous six months
• Ships which have higher priority with higher targeting factor value
• Ships which have been the subject of a report or notification by another Authority
• The International Convention on Standards for Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers(STCW)
• Ships which have been permitted to leave the port of a State, the Authority of which is a signatory to the Memorandum, on the condition that the deficiencies noted must be rectified within a specified period, upon expiry of such period
• Ships which have been reported by pilots or port authorities as having deficiencies which may prejudice their safe navigation
• Ships carrying dangerous or polluting goods, which have failed to repot all relevant information concerning the ships particulars, the ships movements and concerning the dangerous or polluting goods being carried to the competent authority of the port and coastal state
• Ships which have been failed to call to repair port after detention
• Category of ships identified by the Committee occasionally as warranting priority inspections

Conduct of PSC Inspection

During a PSC inspection, the PSC officer first conducts an initial inspection. This comprises a visit on board to verify the ship carries the necessary valid certificates and documentation. The PSC officer also inspects areas critical to the safe operation of the ship. If certification is invalid, or if there are clear grounds to suspect that the ship and/or its equipment or crew may not be in substantial compliance with the relevant convention requirements, a more detailed inspection is undertaken.

Detention / Release of Unseaworthiness / Substandard ships

Detention of a ship is part of a process that ensures critical deficiencies are rectified before the ship can depart. When a ship is detained/ released, the Korean Authority notifies the Flag State and the relevant classification society. As Korea is a party to the Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) on Port State Control in the Asia-Pacific regions, information on detained ships is published on the Tokyo MOU website at www.tokyo-mou.org

Deficiency action codes

• 10 : deficiency rectified
• 15 : rectify deficiency at next port
• 16 : rectify deficiency within 14 days
• 17 : rectify deficiency before departure
• 18 : rectify deficiency within 3 months
• 30 : detainable deficiency
• 99 : other

Re-inspection fee

The Korean authority established new regulation on PSC re-inspection fee on Oct 16 2005 for the ship which is instructed to rectify specific deficiencies before departure by PSC Officers at the initial inspection as below

• Basic fee for the 4 inspection hours
  • during office hours : Korean Money 300,000
  • after office hours : Korean Money 450,000
• Additional fee
  • charged 50,000(Korean money) for every one hour which is exceeding 4 hours
• Transit time of PSC officers is included into inspection hours

Undue detention or delay and appeals

• Every effort is made to avoid undue detention of or delay to a ship.
• The company of a ship or its representative has a right of appeal against detention taken by the Authority of the Port State.
• Initiation of the appeal process will not by itself cause the detention to be suspended.

Undue detention or delay and appeals