Global co-operation between states aiming to eliminate sub-standard shipping was the focus of the joint ministerial conference on Paris & Tokyo Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) on Port State Control, recently held in Vancouver, Canada.

Various maritime administrations have participated in the Paris & Tokyo MOUs. Other regional agreements include co-operation between the South American, Caribbean, Indian Ocean, West and Central Africa, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean of which Malta is a founder member together with other seven states. These ensure that safety and standards are kept and that crew live and work in appropriate conditions.

Malta has this year become a member state to the Paris MOU. This stipulates that a minimum percentage of vessels entering MOU ports are inspected. It establishes detention and reporting procedures and a training procedure for inspectors, a computerised ship inspection database is developed and inspection and detention statistics are regularly published.

Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea, has addressed the conference saying that sub standard vessels represent a threat to safety of life at sea and should therefore not be allowed to trade. He also stated that port shopping should not be allowed and that the Maltese government is indeed promoting quality shipping in line with IMO objectives.

The majority of ship owners registered under the Maltese flag gave a positive response to quality shipping. Even though the ship owner is the first to be responsible and first State obligations lie with the flag State, the State of the visiting port carries a great responsibility too. Over 1,000 ships call at Malta’s main commercial ports every year and the inspection rate on such vessels is to increase by over 25% which is well over international obligations.