The Department of Merchant Shipping recently issued circulars to owners, bareboat charterers and managers of ships flying the Cyprus flag to draw their attention to concentrated inspection campaigns that will be carried out by maritime authorities under the:

  • Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control; and
  • the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control, the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control and the Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control.

The concentrated inspection campaign under the Paris Memorandum of Understanding will assess compliance with the minimum standards for on-board working and living conditions prescribed by the Maritime Labour Convention 2006. The inspection will run from the beginning of September until the end of November 2016, during which time port state control officers will use a detailed standardised checklist to examine the procedures and measures in place regarding the Maritime Labour Convention's prescribed standards. Further, port state control officers will:

  • ensure that the required certificates and documentation are present, particularly those relating to the seafarers on board; and
  • verify records regarding:
    • inspections of accommodation, food and catering; and
    • whether a safety committee has been established.

The concentrated inspection campaign to be undertaken under the Tokyo, Mediterranean and Black Sea memoranda of understanding will focus on arrangements for securing cargo. In particular, they will:

  • assess compliance with the requirements of the applicable international conventions;
  • ensure that the seafarers on board are familiar with best practice; and
  • raise awareness of safe practices and the hazards associated with the inadequate securing of cargo.

This concentrated inspection campaign will also run from the beginning of September until the end of November 2016, during which time port state control officers will use a detailed standardised checklist to examine ships' procedures and practices regarding cargo-securing arrangements.

The Department of Merchant Shipping has urged owners, operators and managers of Cyprus ships to take all appropriate actions required to demonstrate compliance with the concentrated inspection campaign, noting that in the event of serious deficiencies being found, a vessel may be detained until they are rectified.