What is Port State Control

Port State Control (PSC) is a ship inspection program whereby foreign vessels entering a sovereign state’s waters are boarded and inspected to ensure compliance with various major international maritime conventions, namely: International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), International Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarer (STCW), Load Lines (LL), Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG) and International Labour Organization Convention No. 147 Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards) (ILO 147).

PSC programs are of a regional nature; that is, several countries sharing common waters have grouped together under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to ensure that vessels trading in their area are not substandard.

There are two MOUs to which Canada is signatory: the Paris MOU comprising 18 European countries including Canada, and the Tokyo MOU comprising 18 Asia/Pacific countries including Canada.

Canada became an associate member to the Paris MOU in April 1988, and was accepted as full member in May 1994 - the first non-European member to be so accepted.

Canada was a driving force in the creation of the Tokyo MOU and has been a member since its inception in December 1993. Also with the Tokyo MOU Canada is the custodian of the regional database (APCIS).

Transport Canada, Safety and Security, is responsible for all PSC activities within Canada, and foreign ship inspections are carried out at all major ports by ship inspectors of the Marine Safety Branch.

<< Back