The member Authorities of the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Black Sea Region (BS MoU) will conduct a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Ballast Water Management from 1 September to 30 November 2025. The campaign has been initiated in order to promote the effective and consistent implementation of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004 (BWM Convention), under the coordination of the Maritime Administration of Türkiye.
The campaign will be conducted simultaneously with the Paris and Tokyo Memorandums and other regional PSC regimes.
Press releases
11 Aug 2025
Press Release CIC on Ballast Water Management
Press Release CIC on Ballast Water Management17 Jun 2025
Expansion of Trial Implementation for Downloadable PSC Data to Recognized Organizations
The Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (BS MoU) is pleased to announce the expansion of its ongoing trial initiative to include Recognized Organizations (ROs), effective 1 July 2025. This development follows the successful implementation of the initial phase for Flag States (FSs).
Recognized Organizations will now be able to access and download Port State Control data related to vessels under their certification. This initiative reflects the BS MoU’s continued commitment to promoting transparency, data accessibility and strengthening collaboration within the maritime sector.
Authorized ROs will receive secure login credentials, enabling them to access a dedicated interface to download inspection-related data in MS XLS and/or XML formats. The data is made available on an individual ship basis and covers a three-year rolling period.
This expansion remains within the framework of a trial phase and will be subject to review by the Black Sea Port State Control Committee. Input from both Flag States and Recognized Organizations will be considered in evaluating the functionality and informing future decisions regarding the implementation.
The BS MoU is confident that extending access to ROs will further support efforts to improve maritime safety, protect the marine environment and improving the working and living conditions of seafarers. It also marks another step toward fostering effective cooperation among all responsible parties in the maritime compliance chain.
Recognized Organizations wishing to participate may request access credentials by completing the BS MoU Data Request Application Form and submitting it to: secretariat@bsmou.org
28 Apr 2025
25 Years of the BS MOU
Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding (BS MoU) is celebrating the 25th Anniversary. This remarkable milestone stands as a testament to the strength, vision, and commitment that have defined our work from the very beginning.
25 Apr 2025
PSCC25 Press Release
Istanbul, TÜRKİYE – The Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Black Sea Region (BS MoU) commemorated its 25th anniversary during the Twenty-Fifth Meeting of the Port State Control Committee (PSCC25), held from 14 to 17 April 2025 in Istanbul, Türkiye, where the Memorandum was originally signed on 7 April 2000. Since its full entry into force on 12 December 2002 for all six maritime States, the Black Sea MoU has played a vital role in promoting maritime safety, environmental protection and the elimination of substandard shipping in the region.
The meeting was chaired by Ms. Kristina RZGOEVA, Deputy Director of the Maritime Transport Agency of Georgia. Director General of Maritime Affairs of Türkiye, Capt. Unal BAYLAN delivered the welcome address and formally opened the session. In his opening speech, Capt. BAYLAN first welcomed all delegates to Istanbul and highlighted the strategic importance of the Black Sea in global maritime trade and underscored the collective responsibility of member States in ensuring maritime safety and environmental protection. He emphasized Türkiye’s pivotal role in the region’s maritime sector and reiterated the importance of unified port State control practices, regional cooperation and joint efforts to keep substandard ships away from Black Sea ports. His speech also honoured the 25th anniversary of the Committee, celebrating the ongoing commitment of member States to uphold international maritime standards.
The twenty-fifth meeting of the Port State Control Committee was attended by all the 6 member Authorities of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, the Russian Federation, Türkiye and Ukraine and observers of Azerbaijan, Moldova, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Abuja MoU, the Mediterranean MoU, the Paris MoU, the Tokyo MoU, the Viňa del Mar Agreement and the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution attended to the meeting. Observers of Kazakhstan, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Caribbean MoU, the Indian Ocean MoU, the Riyadh MoU and USCG were unable to attend.
17 Jan 2025
Press Release CIC on Crew Wages and Seafarer Employment Agreement
From 1 September 2024 to 30 November 2024, the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Black Sea Region (BS MoU) carried out a Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) focusing on Crew Wages and Seafarer Employment Agreements in accordance with the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC, 2006). The campaign also included relevant questions pertaining to financial security provisions introduced under the 2014 amendments to the MLC, 2006.
The campaign involved the member Authorities of the BS MoU that have ratified the MLC, 2006. This CIC was conducted under the campaign coordination of the Maritime Administration of Bulgaria. This campaign was conducted in conjunction with the Paris and Tokyo Memoranda, as well as other regional PSC Regimes, utilizing the Guidelines and Questionnaires of the Paris and Tokyo Memorandums. The member authority of Georgia used these resources for training purposes, given that the MLC, 2006 have been ratified but will enter into force there on 14 February 2025. The campaign shows the following preliminary results.