The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom will begin a port state control inspection on the tanker Eagle S on 2 January 2025. The purpose of the inspection is to verify the ship’s compliance with the requirements of applicable international conventions.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom will begin a port state control inspection on the tanker Eagle S on 2 January 2025. The purpose of the inspection is to verify the ship’s compliance with the requirements of applicable international conventions.
Port state control (PSC) is an international oversight regime in which participating countries inspect foreign ships calling in their ports. The aim is to prevent individual flag states from bending the rules.
“The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom is the competent authority for port state control in Finland. The inspection of the Eagles S is a routine procedure, but the inspection may take several days. We will ensure that the inspection will not compromise the ongoing police operation and investigation. The process will also take into account the workload on the crew. We will report on the results once we have completed the inspection,” says Sanna Sonninen, Director-General of Maritime Sector at Traficom.
The right and obligation to carry out PSC inspections is based on the SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The EU regulatory framework also includes provisions on port state control. PSC inspections are also governed by the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) promoting a harmonised system of port state control.
Inspections verify ship compliance with international requirements
The purpose of PSC inspections is to verify that ships comply with the requirements of applicable international conventions. Inspection officers verify that the ship has valid certificates and other documents required by international conventions and that any deficiencies identified in a previous PSC inspection have been rectified.
A more detailed inspection may be conducted if there are clear grounds to believe that the ship or the condition of its equipment does not meet the relevant requirements.
The risk profile of the Eagle S requires Traficom to conduct a more detailed PSC inspection. A more detailed inspection also includes tests on appliances and installations and safety drills.
Deficiencies and shortcomings must be rectified
If the PSC inspection reveals that the ship does not fully comply with the provisions on ship safety or the international conventions binding on the ship and on Finland, the ship can be required to rectify the deficiencies identified.
If the deficiencies are serious enough, Traficom may detain the ship until they have been rectified.
Finland conducts approximately 300 PSC inspections each year
Approximately 1,500 ships visit Finnish ports each year, making a total of approximately 30,000 port calls. The frequency and scope of PSC inspections are determined on the basis of a ship’s risk profile.
In 2024, Finland conducted 298 PSC inspections on foreign ships. The number of individual ships inspected in this context was 288. A total of 139 notices of deficiencies were issued in 64 inspections. Overall, the results of PSC inspections indicate a good level of compliance.
Traficom will provide more information about the results of the PSC inspection on the Eagle S once the inspection has been completed.
More information and enquiries
The criminal investigation and the joint operation by the authorities in the Gulf of Finland are led by the police. The operation is supported by the Border Guard, the Finnish Defence Forces, Finnish Customs and the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.
Enquiries about PSC: Sanna Sonninen, Maritime Director, sanna.sonninen@traficom.fi, tel. +358 29 534 5169