Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Flag State, Port State Control and Detention Vocabulary glossary

The administrative vocabulary of flag state and Port State Control: the regional MoUs (Abuja, Vina del Mar), action-taken codes, the definition of the Administration under SOLAS and MARPOL, detention and banning, and the white, grey, and black lists. Covers how deficiencies are recorded, how detentions escalate, and how flag performance is ranked.

282 defined terms.

Showing 250 on this page (page 1 of 2).

A

ABS: American Bureau of Shipping; IACS member classification society.
Abuja MoU: Memorandum of Understanding on PSC for West and Central African Region.
Action taken code: Numeric code recorded by PSC officer indicating the response required for each deficiency, ranging from 10 (no action) to 99.
Acuerdo de Vina del Mar: Latin American Agreement on Port State Control of Vessels, signed 1992, covering 15 South and Central American maritime authorities.
Administration: Government of the State whose flag the ship is entitled to fly, per SOLAS and MARPOL definitions.
Advance Notification of Arrival: Pre-arrival declaration submitted to PSC authorities, typically 24 to 72 hours before port entry.
Annex I PSC inspection: Inspection focused on oil pollution prevention requirements of MARPOL Annex I.
Apostille: Hague Convention certification attached to flag-state documents for cross-border legal recognition.
Approved Service Supplier: Firm authorized by class to perform UTG, IWS, or service work used for class purposes.
Article 217 UNCLOS: Flag-state enforcement duties for pollution standards regardless of where a violation occurs.
Article 218 UNCLOS: Port-state enforcement authority over discharge violations on the high seas or in another State's waters.
Article 219 UNCLOS: Port-state power to detain unseaworthy vessels threatening the marine environment.
Article 226 UNCLOS: Limits on investigation of foreign vessels in port, including avoidance of undue delay.
Article 94 UNCLOS: Provision setting out flag-state duties to effectively exercise jurisdiction and control over ships flying its flag.
Audit: Systematic verification of compliance with the ISM Code, ISPS Code, MLC, 2006, or III Code requirements.
Authorization Agreement: Written agreement between flag State and RO setting out delegated functions, reporting and audit terms.
Authorized Organization: Body delegated by a flag State to issue statutory certificates, often a classification society acting as RO.

B

Bahamas: Open registry flag administered by the Bahamas Maritime Authority, among the world's top ten flags by tonnage.
Bahamas Maritime Authority: BMA, the flag administration headquartered in Nassau with offices in London, Hong Kong and New York.
Banning: Refusal of access to all ports and anchorages of a regional MOU area following repeated detentions or non-compliance.
Banning order: Formal written decision by a regional MOU authority barring a ship from entry, issued under Paris MoU or Tokyo MoU rules.
Bareboat charter registration: Temporary registration in a second register while the underlying ownership remains on the primary register, also called BBC-in or BBC-out.
BBC-in: Bareboat charter registration into a flag State for the duration of the charter.
BBC-out: Bareboat charter registration out of the underlying register to another flag for the charter period.
Belize: Open registry administered by the International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize, IMMARBE.
Bermuda Shipping and Maritime Authority: BSMA, flag administration for the Bermuda Red Ensign register.
Bill of Sale: Legal instrument transferring title to a ship, lodged with the registry to record change of ownership.
Black List: Categorization of flags or ships with high detention ratios under PSC MoUs.
Black Sea MoU: Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Black Sea Region, signed 2000, secretariat in Istanbul.
Builder's Certificate: Statement by the shipyard certifying particulars and first ownership of a newly built ship, used at first registration.
Bulk carrier additional survey: Expanded inspection element under Paris MoU NIR applied to bulk carriers older than 12 years.
BV: Bureau Veritas, France-headquartered classification society and IACS member founded 1828.

C

Cabotage: National reservation of coastwise trade to vessels of the flag State.
Caribbean MoU: PSC regime for Caribbean states.
Casualty Investigation Code: Code of the International Standards and Recommended Practices for a Safety Investigation into a Marine Casualty or Marine Incident, mandatory under SOLAS XI-1/6.
Cayman Islands Shipping Registry: CISR, British Red Ensign register based in George Town.
CCS: Cargo Containment System under the IGC and IGF Codes.
Certificate of Class: Document issued by class confirming the vessel is in class.
Certificate of Registry: Ship's document evidencing flag registration.
CIC: Concentrated Inspection Campaign, time-limited PSC focus on a specific subject area, conducted jointly by regional MOUs.
Class suspension: Withdrawal of class status by a classification society, often triggering loss of statutory certificates.
Class withdrawal: Permanent cancellation of class by a classification society.
Classification Society: Organization that develops technical rules and certifies compliance; members of IACS include ABS, BV, CCS, CRS, DNV, IRS, KR, LR, NK, PRS, RINA, and RS.
Clear grounds: Evidence justifying a more detailed PSC inspection, such as expired certificates, defective equipment or crew complaints.
Closing report: Final report of a PSC inspection delivered to the master listing deficiencies and action codes.
Code for Recognized Organizations: RO Code, mandatory under SOLAS, MARPOL and Load Lines, setting standards for RO authorization and oversight.
Code of Good Practice for PSCOs: IMO guidance for port state control officers on professional conduct during inspections.
Comoros: Open registry flag often appearing on Paris MoU black list.
Concentrated Inspection Campaign: See CIC.
Continuous synopsis record: CSR, SOLAS history-of-flag record.
Convention deficiency: Non-conformity with a specific provision of SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Lines, COLREGs, STCW, Tonnage, MLC or AFS.
Cook Islands: Open registry administered by Maritime Cook Islands.
CRS: Croatian Register of Shipping, IACS member headquartered in Split.
CSR: Continuous Synopsis Record; sighted during ISM and ISPS audits.
CSS Code: IMO Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Securing.
Curacao Maritime Authority: Flag administration for the Curacao register.
Cyprus: EU flag administered by the Department of Merchant Shipping, Limassol.

D

DCS: IMO Data Collection System on fuel oil consumption, MARPOL Annex VI, cross-referenced with SOLAS chapter requirements.
Deficiency: PSC finding requiring rectification.
Deficiency category: Two-digit numeric grouping of PSC findings by subject area, ranging from 01 to 18 in the IMO list.
Deficiency code 01: Certificates and documentation, including ship, crew and cargo certificates.
Deficiency code 02: Structural conditions, including hull damage, corrosion and ballast tank coatings.
Deficiency code 03: Water and weathertight conditions, including hatch covers, doors and side scuttles.
Deficiency code 04: Emergency systems, including emergency generator, fire pump and lighting.
Deficiency code 05: Radio communications, including GMDSS equipment and batteries.
Deficiency code 06: Cargo operations including equipment, covering loading, securing and cargo gear.
Deficiency code 07: Fire safety, including fixed and portable extinguishing systems, fire doors and means of escape.
Deficiency code 08: Alarms, including general alarm, fire detection and bilge alarms.
Deficiency code 09: Working and living conditions, covering accommodation, food and water.
Deficiency code 10: Safety of navigation, including charts, publications, lights and bridge equipment.
Deficiency code 11: Life saving appliances, including lifeboats, liferafts, davits and immersion suits.
Deficiency code 13: Propulsion and auxiliary machinery, including main engine, generators and steering gear.
Deficiency code 14: Pollution prevention MARPOL, covering Annex I to VI requirements.
Deficiency code 15: ISM, non-conformities with the International Safety Management Code.
Deficiency code 17: ISPS, non-conformities with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code.
Deficiency code 18: MLC, non-conformities with the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006.
Deletion certificate: Document issued by the previous flag State confirming the ship has been removed from its register, required for re-registration elsewhere.
Denmark: EU traditional and second register flag, see DIS and DAS.
Detainable deficiency: Finding so serious or in combination so numerous that the ship is unfit to proceed to sea, triggering action code 30.
Detention: PSC action holding a ship until deficiencies are rectified.
Detention order: Formal written instrument issued to the master imposing detention.
Detention rate: Number of detentions per inspection, used in flag and RO performance lists.
Detention review panel: Internal mechanism in Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU for owners to challenge detention decisions.
DIS: Danish International Ship Register, second register established 1988 permitting mixed-nationality crews.
DMA: ISO 8217 distillate marine grade A, gas oil equivalent, sulphur limited per regional ECA rules.
DNV: Det Norske Veritas (DNV); IACS member classification society.
Document of Compliance: DOC, ISM document for the company.
Document of Compliance for Dangerous Goods: SOLAS II-2/19 certificate for ships carrying packaged dangerous goods.
Dominica: Open registry administered by the Dominica Maritime Administration.

E

EMSA: European Maritime Safety Agency, supporting Paris MoU and EU Member States on PSC.
Enhanced Survey Programme: ESP, IMO mandatory survey regime for bulk carriers and oil tankers.
Equasis: Free online ship-information database operated by EMSA and partners.
Erika package: EU legislation tightening PSC, classification society oversight and tanker phase-out following the 1999 Erika spill.
Exempt ship: Vessel formally exempted from a specific convention requirement by the flag State, recorded by Exemption Certificate.
Expanded inspection: PSC inspection of high-risk and certain ship types under Paris MoU NIR, covering an expanded list of items.
Expanded inspection target: Mandatory expanded inspection on chemical tankers, gas carriers, oil tankers, bulk carriers older than 12 years, and passenger ships under Paris MoU.

F

Faeroe Islands International Ships Register: FAS, Danish second register for ocean-going vessels.
Flag administration: Government body responsible for ship registration, certification and oversight of the national fleet.
Flag hop: Informal term for rapid succession of flag changes, often to evade PSC scrutiny.
Flag of convenience: Flag of a state with open registration policy.
Flag performance list: Annual Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU ranking of flags into white, grey and black categories.
Flag State: State of the ship's nationality, with jurisdiction under UNCLOS Article 94.
Flag State Implementation: Subject of the FSI Sub-Committee, restructured in 2013 into III.
Flag State Inspector: Surveyor employed or authorized by the flag administration to verify compliance with statutory requirements.
Follow-up inspection: PSC re-inspection at the next port to verify rectification of deficiencies coded 16 or 48.
Force majeure call: Entry into port under distress or weather, generally exempt from full PSC unless safety concerns arise.
French International Register: RIF, French second register established 2005, administered from Marseille.

G

Gabon: Flag State occasionally appearing on PSC underperforming lists.
General Inspection: Paris MoU term for the basic level of PSC inspection, covering documents and overall condition.
Georgia: Flag administered by the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia, frequently on Paris MoU black list.
Gibraltar Maritime Administration: GMA, British Red Ensign register based in Gibraltar.
Greece: Major traditional registry administered by the Hellenic Register of Shipping and Hellenic Coast Guard.
Grey list: Middle category of flag performance under Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU.
Gross Tonnage: GT, measure of overall internal volume, determinant of statutory certification thresholds.
Guarantee of port of refuge: Financial assurance required before a flag State directs a damaged ship to a port of refuge.

H

Harmonized System of Survey and Certification: HSSC, IMO scheme aligning survey periodicity for statutory certificates.
Hellenic Register of Shipping: HRS, Greek classification society, recognized organization for Greece.
High Risk Ship: HRS under Paris MoU New Inspection Regime, prioritized for expanded inspection every 5 to 6 months.
Hong Kong, China: Major flag administered by the Hong Kong Marine Department, among the world's top five by tonnage.
HRS: High Risk Ship, see entry above.

I

IACS: International Association of Classification Societies, 12 members.
Ice class notation: Class assignment for navigation in ice, often required by flag and port authorities in polar waters.
III Code: IMO Instruments Implementation Code, mandatory under SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Lines, Tonnage 1969, COLREG, and STCW.
III Sub-Committee: IMO Sub-Committee on Implementation of IMO Instruments, established 2014, successor to FSI.
IMMARBE: International Merchant Marine Registry of Belize.
IMO Audit Scheme: IMSAS, mandatory audit of Member States under the III Code, in force since 2016.
IMO Member State Audit Scheme: See IMSAS.
IMO Number: Unique seven-digit ship identifier from IHS Markit on behalf of IMO.
IMO Ship Identification Number Scheme: Resolution A.1117(30), making IMO numbers persistent for the life of the hull.
IMSAS: IMO Member State Audit Scheme, mandatory audit of flag, port, and coastal state obligations.
Indian Ocean MoU: PSC regime for the Indian Ocean region.
Indian Register of Shipping: IRS, IACS member headquartered in Mumbai.
Initial inspection: First stage of PSC inspection, comprising verification of certificates and overall condition.
Inspection database: THETIS for Paris MoU and APCIS for Tokyo MoU, storing PSC results.
Inspection Report: Form A and Form B in Paris MoU recording inspection particulars and deficiencies.
Instruments of Implementation Code: III Code, see entry above.
Interim Document of Compliance: ISM interim DOC issued to new companies or new ship types, valid for 12 months.
Interim ISM Certificate: Interim SMC issued for new ships, change of flag or change of company, valid up to 6 months.
International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate: IAPP, MARPOL Annex VI engine and ship certificate.
International Ballast Water Management Certificate: IBWMC, issued under the BWM Convention.
International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships: TONNAGE 69, the measurement basis for GT and NT.
International Energy Efficiency Certificate: IEEC, MARPOL Annex VI certificate evidencing EEDI and SEEMP compliance.
International Load Line Certificate: SOLAS-related freeboard certificate.
International Maritime Organization: IMO, UN specialized agency for shipping, based in London.
International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate: IOPP.
International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk: NLS Certificate under MARPOL Annex II.
International Safety Management Code: ISM Code.
International Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate: ISPP, MARPOL Annex IV certificate.
International Ship and Port Facility Security Code: ISPS Code.
International Ship Security Certificate: ISSC, issued under the ISPS Code.
International Tonnage Certificate: Certificate stating gross and net tonnage under ITC 1969.
IRS: Indian Register of Shipping.
Isle of Man Ship Registry: IOMSR, British Red Ensign register based in Douglas.
ITF: International Transport Workers' Federation, publisher of the FOC list.

J

Joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign: CIC conducted simultaneously by two or more regional MOUs.
Jurisdiction in port: Coastal state authority over foreign ships voluntarily in its internal waters, including PSC.

K

Korean Register of Shipping: KR, IACS member headquartered in Busan.
KR: See Korean Register of Shipping.

L

Liberia: Open registry administered by the Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry, LISCR, second largest flag by tonnage.
LISCR: Liberian International Ship and Corporate Registry, headquartered in Dulles, Virginia.
List of Certificates and Documents Required to be Carried on Board Ships: IMO FAL.2/Circ.131, the consolidated reference for onboard statutory documents.
Lloyd's Register: LR, UK-headquartered classification society and IACS member founded 1760.
Load Line zones: Geographic seasonal zones defined in the 1966 Load Lines Convention, governing freeboard assignment.
Low Risk Ship: LRS under Paris MoU NIR, eligible for inspection every 24 to 36 months.
LR: See Lloyd's Register.
LRS: Low Risk Ship.

M

Madeira International Shipping Register: MAR, Portuguese second register based in Funchal.
Major non-conformity: ISM Code finding indicating serious threat to personnel or ship safety or environment, requiring immediate corrective action.
Malta: EU flag administered by Transport Malta, Merchant Shipping Directorate, among the world's top flags by tonnage.
Marine Casualty Investigation: Flag-state inquiry under SOLAS XI-1/6 and the Casualty Investigation Code.
Maritime Cook Islands: Flag administration for the Cook Islands register.
Maritime Labour Certificate: Required under MLC for ships of 500 GT and above engaged on international voyages.
Marshall Islands: Open registry administered by International Registries, Inc., among the world's top three flags by tonnage.
Master to ensure: PSC action code 19, requiring the master to ensure rectification.
Mediterranean MoU: PSC regime for the Mediterranean.
Memorandum of Understanding: MOU, regional cooperative agreement among port states for harmonized PSC.
Minimum Safe Manning Document: MSMD, flag-state document setting required crew complement.
More detailed inspection: PSC stage triggered when clear grounds exist, going beyond initial inspection.
Mortgage registration: Recording of a preferred ship mortgage in the flag-state registry, establishing priority.

N

National register: First or traditional ship register of a State, often with nationality and crew requirements.
Net tonnage: Vessel measurement representing earning capacity.
New Inspection Regime: NIR, risk-based Paris MoU PSC system in force since 2011, replacing the 25 percent inspection commitment.
NIS: Norwegian International Ship Register, second register established 1987, administered from Bergen.
NK: Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, ClassNK, IACS member headquartered in Tokyo.
No action: PSC action code 10, deficiency recorded without further action required.
Non-conformity: ISM Code term for an observed situation where objective evidence indicates non-fulfillment of a requirement.
Notification of detention: Written notice to the master, flag State, RO and owner that the ship is detained.

O

Observation: PSC finding recorded without coding as a deficiency, advisory in nature.
Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch: OICNW, STCW certified position commonly checked in PSC.
Open registry: Flag state with open access to foreign owners.
Overriding factor: Condition such as collision, grounding, fire or pollution incident triggering an unscheduled PSC inspection.
Owner's representative: Person designated by the owner to liaise with PSC officers and the master.

P

P&I Club: Mutual insurance association covering protection-and-indemnity risks.
Palau: Open registry administered by the Palau International Ship Registry.
Panama: Open registry administered by the Panama Maritime Authority, AMP, the world's largest flag by tonnage since 1993.
Panama Maritime Authority: Autoridad Maritima de Panama, AMP, headquartered in Panama City.
Parallel registration: General term for bareboat charter registration in two registers concurrently.
Paris MoU: Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, 1982.
Performance Standard for Protective Coatings: PSPC, SOLAS II-1/3-2, commonly cited in code 02 deficiencies.
Port of Refuge: Port called at to address peril, often triggering general average.
Port State: State exercising jurisdiction over foreign ships voluntarily in its ports.
Port state control: PSC inspection regime.
Port State Control Officer: PSCO, properly authorized inspector conducting PSC under regional MOU procedures.
Pre-arrival notification: Submission to PSC authorities and customs prior to ETA, content set by regional MOU.
Priority I: Paris MoU label for ships that must be inspected, time window expired.
Priority II: Paris MoU label for ships that may be inspected, time window opened.
Propulsion redundancy survey: Statutory survey item commonly assessed under code 13 for ships with multiple engines.
PRS: Polski Rejestr Statkow, Polish Register of Shipping, IACS member.
PSC: Port State Control.
PSCO: Port State Control Officer.

Q

Qualified flag: A flag State recognized by the regional MOU as having an audited and compliant administration.
Quality Management System: QMS for ROs and flag administrations under the RO Code and III Code.
Quality system audit: External audit of ROs and ISM companies under SOLAS and ISM Code.

R

RBP: Risk-Based Profile, mechanism in Paris MoU NIR scoring ships as HRS, SRS or LRS.
Re-flagging: Transfer of a ship from one register to another, requiring deletion certificate and new statutory certificates.
Recognized organization: RO, delegated to act on behalf of the flag state.
Recognized security organization: RSO under ISPS Code.
Rectify at next port: PSC action code 16, deficiency to be cleared at the next port of call.
Rectify before departure: PSC action code 18, deficiency to be cleared prior to sailing.
Rectify deficiency: PSC action code 15, generic instruction to correct the finding.
Rectify within 14 days: PSC action code 17, deficiency to be cleared within 14 days from inspection.
Refusal of access: Banning order under Paris MoU or Tokyo MoU.
Register tonnage: Historical measure superseded by GT and NT under TONNAGE 69.
Registry: Office maintaining the flag State's list of registered ships.
Registry of Ships: Statutory book maintained by the flag administration, public to the extent set by national law.
Repeat detention: Second or subsequent detention of the same ship within a defined period, triggering banning.
RINA: Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, founded 1860.
Risk-based targeting: PSC selection of inspection candidates by ship risk profile, age, type and flag performance.
Riyadh MoU: PSC regime for Gulf Cooperation Council region.
RO Code: Code for Recognized Organizations, see entry above.
RS: Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, IACS member headquartered in St Petersburg.

S

Safety Construction Certificate: SOLAS Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate, valid 5 years.
Safety Equipment Certificate: SOLAS Cargo Ship Safety Equipment Certificate, valid 5 years.
Safety management certificate: SMC, ISM certificate for the ship.
Safety Radio Certificate: SOLAS Chapter IV certificate based on radio survey.
Second register: Subsidiary register established by a traditional maritime nation offering tax or crewing concessions, such as NIS, DIS, MAR or RIF.
Self-Assessment of Flag State Performance: SAFSP under IMO Resolution A.1119(30), encouraging flag-state self-evaluation.
Seychelles: Flag administered by the Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration.
Ship Risk Profile: SRP, Paris MoU NIR scoring combining flag, RO, company, ship type, age and deficiency history.
Ship Security Officer: SSO, designated under the ISPS Code, evidence often checked in PSC.
Ship Security Plan: SSP, approved by the flag State or RSO under the ISPS Code.
Singapore Registry of Ships: SRS, administered by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, among the world's top five flags.
SOC: Shipper-Owned Container, used in lieu of carrier equipment.
St Kitts and Nevis: Open registry administered by the St Kitts and Nevis International Ship Registry.
St Vincent and the Grenadines: Open registry administered by the St Vincent and the Grenadines Maritime Administration.
Standard Risk Ship: SRS under Paris MoU NIR, inspected every 10 to 12 months.
Statutory Certificate: Certificate issued under a SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Lines, or Tonnage requirement.
Statutory survey: Survey performed under IMO conventions for issuance or endorsement of statutory certificates.
STCW Code: Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping.
Stowaway: Person concealed on board, governed by FAL Convention.