Port state control

Port state control is the inspection of foreign ships in national ports to verify that their condition and operation comply with international conventions such as SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, the Load Line Convention, and MLC. A port state officer conducts an initial inspection and, on clear grounds, a more detailed one; serious deficiencies can lead to detention until rectified. Inspections are coordinated through regional memoranda of understanding, principally the Paris and Tokyo MoUs, which share data and apply a risk-based ship selection. It backstops flag state and classification society oversight.