TIPS BEFORE PARIS MOU PSC INSPECTION

 📋 TIPS BEFORE PARIS MOU PSC INSPECTION

Practical, prioritized, aligned with latest Paris MOU standards

⏱️ 72–48 HOURS BEFORE ARRIVAL

📑 DOCUMENTS & CERTIFICATES (TOP PRIORITY)

 

- Keep all originals valid and accessible: SOLAS, MARPOL, Load Line, Tonnage, SMC/DOC, ISSC, MLC, Class certificates, Minimum Safe Manning

- Verify crew docs: STCW CoC/CoP, flag endorsements, medical certs, employment agreements, pay slips, rest‑hour records 

- Update all logbooks: Oil Record Book, Garbage Record Book, GMDSS, drills, maintenance, passage plan, ballast water

- Confirm no open Class/flag non‑conformities; past deficiencies are closed and verified

 

🧹 HOUSEKEEPING & VISUAL CHECK

 

- Clean all areas: bridge, engine room, decks, accommodation, stores — rust, oil spills, clutter attract extra scrutiny

- Ensure labels, signs, muster lists, and emergency instructions are clear, correct, and in crew’s working language

 

🛠️ SAFETY & OPERATIONAL PREP

 

- Fire safety: Test alarms, extinguishers, CO₂ systems, fire doors/dampers, emergency fire pump, hoses/nozzles — most common detention cause

- Lifesaving: Check lifeboats/rafts, release mechanisms, hydrostatic units, EPIRB/SART batteries, immersion suits, lifebuoys — expiry dates strictly checked

- Pollution prevention: OWS, incinerator, sewage plant, oil/water tight doors, scuppers plugged, SOPEP ready

- Navigation: ECDIS/charts updated, passage plan complete, all nav aids tested, gyro/GPS/AIS accurate

- ISM drills: Conduct full fire/abandon ship drills; ensure crew know their roles and can explain procedures — ISM failures expand inspections

 

🚢 WHEN INSPECTOR ARRIVES

 

- Greet professionally; offer safety briefing, PPE, and an assigned knowledgeable escort

- Provide documents promptly; answer honestly, clearly, and briefly — do not volunteer extra info

- If a deficiency is found: acknowledge it, explain immediate/corrective action, and timeline — cooperation reduces detention risk

- Avoid arguments; show you follow Company Procedures, SMS, and ISM Code in every step

 

⚠️ HIGH‑RISK ITEMS TO DOUBLE‑CHECK

 

- Expiry dates: Batteries, services, surveys, certificates — never expired

- Watertight integrity: Doors, hatches, vents, manholes — close and lock properly 

- MLC compliance: Rest hours, food/water quality, accommodation, complaint procedure posted — third most common issue

- Operational readiness: Crew must demonstrate tasks (don EEBD, launch lifeboat, operate valves) — not just talk

 

📌 FINAL NOTE

Preparation is not just for passing inspection — it is for safety of ship, crew, and sea. Follow your SMS, maintain daily, and you will be ready always.

 

🏷️ TAGS

#ParisMOU #PSCInspection #PortStateControl #SeafarerSafety #MaritimeCompliance #ISMCode #SOLAS #MARPOL #ShipPreparation #SafeVoyage