Flag State Inspection (FSI)

A flag State inspection (FSI) is an inspection of a ship by its own flag administration, or a recognized organization acting on the flag’s behalf, to confirm the ship meets the conventions the flag has ratified. It is distinct from port State control, which is exercised by the State whose port the ship visits. The flag State inspection underpins issue and endorsement of the statutory certificates the flag is responsible for, including SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Line, and ISM and ISPS certificates. The III Code (A.1070(28)) sets out the flag State’s obligations, and the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) checks how well a flag discharges them.