Aide-memoire for meeting the new Paris MoU inspection regime

According to the UK P&I Club, many shipowners and their masters remain unsure of what is required from them if they are to meet the requirements of the new Paris MoU inspection regime. Getting it right reduces to the minimum the number of times their ships are selected for inspection. Getting it wrong can lead to detentions and, ultimately, the banning of vessels from major trading areas such as the region covered by the Paris MoU, ie the waters of the European coastal states and the North Atlantic basin from North America to Europe.

Clearly there is a great deal of detailed information concerning the new regime available, for example on the Paris MoU website (www.parismou.org), but the UK Club believes that a brief checklist of actions that need to be taken prior to entering Paris MoU waters will prove invaluable to busy masters and managers. Consequently the Club has prepared an aide-memoire which is now being distributed to its Members and which is also available to non-Members via the Loss Prevention section of the UK P&I Club website (www.ukpandi.com).

In the newly published aide-memoire, the Club lists the principal tasks to be undertaken prior to vessel entry in Paris MOU region as:
-Determine ship risk profile from online calculator
-Determine company performance from online calculator
-Note when vessel was last inspected in the region
-Establish time window of inspection according to ship risk profile
-Ascertain if vessel is eligible for inspection and, if so, which type of inspection
-Identify vessel selection scheme
-Note type of inspection vessel eligible for
-Is there a possibility vessel eligible for additional inspection
If vessel is eligible for expanded inspection, comply with reporting obligations and notify Port State at port of call 72 hours and 24 hours before arrival
Ensure sufficient time in operating schedule for expanded inspection to be carried out (typically eight hours for a Capesize bulk carrier by two Port State Control Officers - PSCOs).

Should detention occur, then the following actions need to be taken:
Master to notify owners and class immediately following vessel detention
Master/owner has right of appeal against detention
Correct all deficiencies and notify PSC when deficiencies are rectified.

The UK P&I Club trusts that its Members will find the aide-memoire to be a useful tool especially during the early days of this regime, enabling owners to avoid the commercial penalties which come with any detention or banning procedure.