A new report shows that the number of vessel detentions under Port State Control (PSC) has increased by nearly 70% over the past five years, despite the total number of inspections remaining stable.
According to sea-news.az the findings are based on a new study released by Survitec during the Posidonia maritime event. The report indicates that only about half of all inspections are completed without any deficiencies, and that one in every seven commercial vessels may face at least one detention within a three-year period.
The study notes that the global number of inspections has remained steady at around 75,000 annually since 2023. However, detentions under the Tokyo MoU rose from 526 to 1,255 between 2021 and 2025. The Paris MoU rate has remained at approximately 4%, while the Black Sea MoU recorded the highest detention rate last year at 6.8%.
According to the report, vessel age is a key risk factor: risk increases sharply after 15 years of service and becomes significantly higher after 20 years. The growing share of older vessels in the global fleet is also contributing to a rise in deficiencies and incidents.
The most commonly identified issues relate to the ISM (International Safety Management) Code, fire safety systems, and life-saving equipment. Survitec notes that most detentions are not caused by sudden technical failures but by systemic shortcomings in maintenance and crew training.
The company recommends that shipowners invest in third-party inspection services. It also highlights regulatory gaps regarding certain lifeboat components, suggesting more frequent inspections or replacements.
