New Inspection Regime by Paris MoU in brief

The New Inspection Regime (NIR) comes in force on 01.01.2011.

Good operators who meet a number of certain conditions can now enjoy a lesser burden. For them a time window between port state control inspections in EU+Norway+Iceland ports can be extended up to 36 months.

Conversely, there is tougher enforcement imposed on substandard ships that, in the worst case scenario, may be forced to leave the region.

A ship’s risk profile will be based on criteria such as:

• type


• age


• flag


• class society


• inspection history


• managing company (the ISM manager).

The “ISM manager” implies the company bearing the responsibilities as per the International Safety Management Code. The company performance factor is calculated basis the Paris MoU region inspection results only.

In addition to the above NIR imposes a new tool for State control officers
(PSCOs) across the Paris MoU region - the PSC Targeting and Information System ('THETIS').

An important new feature of THETIS is the direct processing of ship call data and keeping all the relevant information in its database.

The system receives ship arrival and departure information from the Member States through SafeSeaNet, the EU's vessel traffic monitoring and information system. THETIS will then use the ship call information received from SafeSeaNet to automatically calculate and assign to each ship in the database a risk profile which is continuously updated. Thus appointing inspections in all ports and anchorage areas of the PMoU region by indicating the ships due for PSCO's visit.

Furthermore, THETIS calculates the 'achievement level' of the inspection  commitment of each Member State, monitors missed inspections, and at the same time allows for recording of the reasons for missed inspections.

How it works now with THETIS (source - EMSA)

In order to be able to run NIR wef 01.01.2011 the system started data collection yet since 17.06.2010.  Therefore from 01 January 2011, any ship flying a black or grey listed flag and having two or more detentions since 17 June 2009, will be "particularly susceptible to banning". In case such a ship is detained after 01.01.2011 again, the ship will be banned from all ports in the region for at least three months time.

Besides the above NIR becomes the part of the amended appeal and review procedure. However this mostly is a behind-the-scenes activity for many seamen.

Modified appeal and review procedure (source - EMSA)