6/12/2018 After a port State control inspection

Published on Australian Maritime Safety Authority (https://www.amsa.gov.au)

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After a port State control inspection

If your ship is found of have deficiencies during an inspection, you may be detained and
delayed for an unknown amount of time.

AMSA Marine surveyors may board a ship at any time to inspect and detain unseaworthy or
substandard ships under sections 257 and 248 of the Navigation Act 2012. Our PSC inspections
are carried out under International Maritime Organization (IMO) procedures for port State
control as amended from time to time.

If deficiencies are found during an inspection:

Your vessel may be detained until these deficiencies can be resolved.

Minor deficiencies may be corrected during the inspection.

You may still be issued with a deficiency notice. If you receive a deficiency notice after a port
State control (PSC) inspection, you will be given a list of deficiency codes [1] on your notice.

Detention and delay

If the inspector considers there are clear grounds for a detention of the ship due to that
deficiency, it will be detained regardless of the ship's scheduled departure time.

Every effort is made to avoid detention and delay to a ship, but it is your responsibility to keep
your ship complaint.

If you have questions, please contact us [2]. We will respond as soon as possible. There may
be a delay in our response while we investigate the enquiry and speak to the inspector that
did your inspection or involved manager.

Detention and release of unseaworthy ships

When a ship is detained or released, we notify the flag state, the International Maritime
Organization and relevant classification society. Information of the detention can also be
found on the Tokyo MOU [3] and Indian Ocean MOU [4] websites as required by our
agreements with them.

https://www.amsa.gov.au/print/877 1/2
6/12/2018 After a port State control inspection

Provisions are given in SOLAS Chapter 1 Regulation 11(c) and IMO Resolution 1052(27) provision
2.6.7.

Regional cooperation
Regional cooperation allows member states to share information on inspection results and
ensure follow-up of deficiencies found during inspections that may not be able to be fixed in
the initial inspection port.

Appeals
The decision to detain a ship may be legally reviewed under the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Act 1975. The procedure for the review is outlined on the detention form itself.

Closing deficiencies
The deficiency cannot be closed until the corrective action is sighted by our inspectors or by
another Tokyo MOU port State control officer. Notify us that you have resolved the deficiency
by emailing psc@amsa.gov.au [5]. 

Source URL: https://www.amsa.gov.au/vessels-operators/port-state-control/after-port-state-

control-inspection

Links
[1] https://www.amsa.gov.au/vessels-operators/port-state-control/port-state-control-
deficiency-codes
[2] https://www.amsa.gov.au/contact-us
[3] http://www.tokyo-mou.org/
[4] http://www.iomou.org/
[5] mailto:psc@amsa.gov.au

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