The first quarter of 2026 confirms a trend that should give every shipowner and ship manager pause: Port State Control detentions are rising — and they’re rising on the exact same deficiencies that drove last year’s numbers. The question is no longer whether the next PSC inspection will surface problems, but how prepared you really are to face it.
The Q1 2026 numbers
Industry data published for the first quarter of 2026 shows a marked uptick in enforcement activity: 64 detentions recorded across the DNV-classed fleet, compared to 52 in the same period of 2025 — an increase of more than 23%.
The distribution is consistent with previous years:
- 83% of detentions involved container ships, bulk carriers and general cargo vessels
- 84% were issued by authorities within the Paris MoU and the Tokyo MoU
Read together, these two figures tell an operational truth: the more structured PSC regimes continue to drive enforcement, and the fleet segments with the highest port rotation are the most exposed.
The deficiencies that are getting ships detained
A breakdown of the deficiency codes cited in this quarter’s detention reports confirms that the issue is rarely a technical novelty. It’s consistency of implementation.
ISM implementation and maintenance (codes 15150 and 15109)
These remain the two main drivers. Deficiency code 15150 — covering the ISM Code as a whole — typically reflects a safety management system that exists on paper but doesn’t live in the daily routine. Code 15109 on maintenance of ship and equipment, used in particular by the Tokyo MoU and the U.S. Coast Guard, points to the gap between the planned maintenance system and what inspectors actually find on board.
Fire safety: the hottest front
Five of the most frequently detention-linked deficiency codes this quarter sit squarely in fire safety:
- 07106 — Fire detection. A real example: a smoke detector in the engine room workshop “repaired” with rubber tape. When early detection is compromised, every minute the fire gains is a minute the crew loses.
- 07105 — Fire doors / openings in fire-resisting divisions. A self-closing fire door between engine room and steering gear room that doesn’t close properly means, quite simply, the compartment is no longer a compartment.
- 04102 — Emergency fire pump. “Unable to pressurize the fire main”: four words that justify an immediate detention.
- 04109 — Fire drills. Drills carried out — but with PPE worn incorrectly, helmets missing, VHF headsets misused. A drill is not a tick-box exercise; it’s a stress test of the entire emergency response chain.
- 04114 — Emergency generator. Failure of the emergency generator during a simulated blackout. Multiple attempts, unsatisfactory results: among the most serious findings a PSC Officer can document.
The common thread is clear: the issue is rarely missing equipment. It’s equipment that doesn’t function or isn’t operated correctly. Exactly the type of problem that a superficial internal audit will miss — and that a properly conducted PSC inspection will surface within the first 90 minutes on board.
What changes in the rest of 2026
Three developments make 2026 a particularly demanding year for PSC compliance.
1. Concentrated Inspection Campaign on cargo securing
Paris and Tokyo MoUs have announced their joint CIC, scheduled to run from 1 September to 30 November 2026, with this year’s focus on cargo securing. Historically, deficiency rates on the targeted topic rise sharply during a CIC, both because inspections go deeper and because a dedicated questionnaire is used. Expect heightened scrutiny on the Cargo Securing Manual, visual inspection of lashings, lashing equipment condition, and crew training on critical securing points.
2. Maritime New Zealand fire safety campaign
Between 1 April and 31 May 2026, Maritime New Zealand is running a focused inspection campaign on fire safety, with three declared focus areas:
- Fire dampers
- Fixed fire-extinguishing systems
- Crew familiarity with fire safety systems
Vessels calling at New Zealand ports during this window should consider themselves under heightened observation.
3. IMO Resolution A.1206(34): security formally enters PSC scope
Adopted at the 34th IMO Assembly and replacing the previous A.1185(33), the new resolution introduces — through Appendix 20 — an explicit basis for PSC Officers to record security-related deficiencies and act accordingly under SOLAS XI-2/9.1.3. The actions available to the Duly Authorized Officer (who may be the same person as the attending PSC Officer) include inspection, delay, detention, restriction of operations within the port, and even expulsion from port.
In practical terms: the PSC inspection perimeter has formally widened. Operators used to treating security as the exclusive domain of the CSO and SSO must now integrate it into PSC preparation alongside SMS and fire safety.
Why a pre-PSC inspection service makes the difference today
The cost of a detention is not an academic estimate. Between off-hire, port costs, possible mobilisation of technicians and spares, commercial damage to the charterer relationship, deterioration of the MoU performance ranking, and potential impact on insurance premiums, a 48–72 hour detention rarely costs less than USD 80,000–150,000 per vessel. A prolonged or repeated detention scales the impact by an order of magnitude.
Against numbers like these, a proactive on-board assessment ahead of an official PSC inspection isn’t an optional expense. It’s a deliberate risk management decision.
Our Pre-PSC Inspection service
Designed to replicate, on board, the real conditions of a PSC inspection in the major MoUs. Not a paperwork audit — an operational verification.
What it includes:
- On-board audit conducted by senior surveyors with direct experience in PSC regimes (Paris MoU, Tokyo MoU, USCG)
- Tailored checklist built around:
- the vessel’s deficiency history
- the risk profile of the upcoming port of call
- the top deficiency codes of the current quarter
- the active CIC questionnaire, where applicable
- Functional verification of critical fire safety, emergency power and life-saving appliance systems — not based on documentation alone
- Drill observation (fire, abandon ship, blackout) with immediate debrief to the crew
- ISM implementation check on the bridge, in the engine room and across daily on-board processes
- Final report with findings classified by detention risk level and a prioritised remediation plan
- Optional follow-up to support closing non-conformities before the official PSC inspection
Who it’s for
- Shipowners and ship managers operating in Paris/Tokyo MoU and USCG zones
- Vessels coming off a recent detention or with multiple deficiencies in past inspections
- Vessels approaching a call in high-intensity inspection ports
- Operators preparing for the 2026 CIC on cargo securing
Closing thoughts
The Q1 2026 numbers don’t describe a new phenomenon — they describe one that doesn’t fix itself. The same deficiency areas keep resurfacing quarter after quarter, and PSC authorities are raising, not lowering, the level of scrutiny. The formal entry of security into the PSC scope, thematic CICs and national campaigns make 2026 a year where improvisation is expensive.
A pre-PSC inspection conducted by qualified external eyes, at the right time and with the right depth, turns the Port State inspection from a corporate risk into a predictable, managed event.
To schedule an assessment for your fleet or request a tailored proposal, get in touch.
Sources: industry data on Q1 2026 PSC detentions, IMO Resolution A.1206(34), communications from Paris MoU, Tokyo MoU, Maritime New Zealand and Guangzhou MSA.Condividi
