Novorossiysk, the Russian Federation – Representatives of the Port State Control Committee, the executive body under the Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Black Region (BS MOU), met from 7 to 9 July 2009 in Novorossiyk, the Russian Federation, for its tenth session. The meeting was chaired by Captain Serban BERESCU, Depury Director General, Romanian Naval Authority Ministry of Transport, the Republic of Romania. Dr. Vitaly V. KLYUEV Deputy Director, Department of State Policy for Maritime and River Transport, Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, made a welcome speech and declared open of the meeting. In his speech, Dr. KLYUEV reiterated the strategy and the policy of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation for promotion of safe, secure and clean seas, and in particular in the area of the Black Sea.
In accordance with the decision of the Port State Control Committee, the concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) on safety of navigation in the Black Sea region was conducted from 01 September till 30 November 2008 under coordination of the Republic of Turkey Undersecretariat for Maritime Affairs.
Within the campaign the Black Sea MOU Authorities verified vital points of implementation of SOLAS Chapter V on all vessels regardless of type.
The six member Maritime Authorities (Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey, Ukraine) of the Black Sea Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control will start a concentrated inspection campaign on Safety of Navigation(Solas Chapter V) compliance as of 1st September 2008 in paralel with the Paris MOU and Tokyo MOU. The inspection campaign will last 3 months ending on 30 November 2008. The Republic of Turkey Undersecretariat for Maritime Affairs will be acting as campaign coordinator.
We are pleased to present the sixth 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. The annual report outlines recent activities on port State control in the Black Sea region, as well as international perspectives on port State control and includes the statistical port State inspection data conducted by the member Authorities of the BS MOU during the year 2007.
2007 was another active year for port State control in the Black sea region; 4499 inspections carried out on foreign ships which resulted in 367 detentions. This represents a detention percentage of 8.16% which is an increase of 2.60% when compared the previous year's detention percentage of 5,56%. The average number of defeciencies found per inspection also continues to increase.
The battle against unseaworthy and substandard shipping will continue. This is due that some flag States are still unwilling or unable to implement their international maritime convention responsibilities.
In accordance with the decision of the Port State Control Committee, the concentrated inspection campaign (CIC) on the ISM Code in the Black Sea region was conducted from September 1 till November 30, 2007 under coordination of the Russian Federation.
Within the campaign the Black Sea MOU Authorities verified vital points of implementation of ISM Code requirements on seagoing ships, that is, effectiveness of SMS reflected in crew routine and emergency procedures, ship technical maintenance.