We are pleased to present the twenty-first issue of the Annual Report on Port State Control in the Black Sea region which is published under the auspices of the Port State Control Committee of the Black Sea MoU.
Port State Control is of particular importance to the BS MoU member Authorities due to the role of shipping in the region’s trade, the sensitivity of the Black Sea basin and its coastline to environmental damage. PSC inspections are conducted to ensure that foreign ships visiting the Black Sea ports are seaworthy, do not pose a pollution risk, provide a healthy and safe environment and comply with relevant international regulations and within the scope of the member Authorities’ national governing laws and regulations.
This PSC Annual report covers the period between 1st January and 31st December 2021, a year the Covid-19, Pandemic continued to affect countries around the orld. However, over the past year, maritime transport defied the Covid-19 disruption.
The IGF Code takes effect on 1 January 2017 upon entry into force of amendments to chapters II-1, II-2 and the appendix to the annex of the Convention.
Unless expressly provided otherwise this Code applies to ships to which part G of SOLAS chapter II-1 applies. (Part G is added to SOLAS by Res.MSC.392(95)).
Following the outbreak of the ongoing Covid-19, Pandemic, the number of PSC inspections carried out decreased enormously. Because of this, for new entrants and existing Port State Control Officers (PSCOs) have difficulties to achieve or maintain their authorization as the minimum numbers of inspections might not be achieved.
In addition that, training activities undertaken by either member States or other organizations has been cancelled or postponed. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, neither face-to-face nor virtual training programme for new entrant PSCOs has been anticipated by the Secretariat.
The Section 2.7 of the BS MOU Policy on the Training of New Entrant PSC Officers sets out the criteria to apply for “special circumstances”. These circumstances are defined as “circumstances which are beyond the control of the responsible Administration and which make it unreasonable for a new entrant PSCO to reach the minimum number of supervised inspections during their training”.
In accordance with the BS MOU Policy on the Professional Development Scheme for Port State Control Officers, there have been difficulties for PSCO subject to Common Assessment of Compliance (CAC) to achieve the minimum number of supervised inspections.
Also, during the Covid-19, Pandemic, existing PSCOs, may equally be faced with circumstances beyond the control of their Administrations rendering it impossible to either achieve the minimum number of 10 inspections per year, or to fulfil the additional training requirements.
Istanbul, Turkey – In the light of the current tense geopolitical situation, representatives of the Port State Control Committee, the governing body under the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Black Sea Region (BS MoU), by virtual means, for the Twenty-second session from 12 to 13 April 2022.
The meeting was chaired by Captain Alexandar ILIEV - Harbour Master of Port Burgas, Bulgaria.
Captain ILIEV officially declared the opening of the meeting and made a welcome speech. In his opening speech, Capt. Iliev firstly welcomed all delegates. Expressing that the Region is passing through difficult days, Capt. Iliev recalled the common understanding of main principles for PSC and stressed the fundamental role of port State control for the high level of vessel safety standards that are essential for safe and clean seas. He also revealed the convincement on the continuing role of the Black Sea MoU to be the important part of the international cooperation and efforts for safe and clean Oceans.
Annual Report for 2021