International PSC seminar in Hamburg: Germany hosted the event

The Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU) is an international agreement among 27 maritime administrations. Under this agreement, they have established a common system for port State control. Member states use this system to verify whether foreign ships calling at their ports comply with international regulations. The focus is on ship safety, the protection of the marine environment and the working and living conditions of seafarers.

Port State control (PSC) complements the controls carried out by flag States. It helps uncover safety deficiencies and thus prevent maritime accidents. The Paris MoU was established in 1982. Regular exchanges—such as the one at this seminar in Hamburg—help strengthen cooperation and further develop these controls.

A wide range of technical and operational topics were on the agenda during the three-day event. Experts from industry, administration and maritime organizations discussed topics that included bilge alarm monitors, firefighting drills, LNG as a fuel and the work of the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU). Current developments within the Paris MoU were also covered.

The German Flag was represented with two specialist presentations: Oya Sönmez, Head of the Nautical Department at the Ship Safety Division, examined aspects of the International Safety Management (ISM) Code with regard to port State control inspections. Mike Meklenburg, Head of German port State control and the seminar’s main organizer, spoke about the harmonization of functional tests in the PSC context.

Feedback on the Paris MoU PSC Seminar 80 in Hamburg was entirely positive. Above all, participants commended the quality of the presentations and the great organization. The PSC seminars take place twice a year in different Paris MoU member states. Germany last hosted the event in 2019.