Deepak sekar

Port state control is doing an amazing job by inspecting a fitness of the vessel but I feel there should be more energy and systematization as time progress. There is a need for PSC to build an innovative system and strategy in checking the fitness of the ship.

Since shipping is a cut throat business and shipping is trying to squeeze expenditure in every possibility , there is a need for tighter monitoring. Now if a ship is calls a port of call , the PSC surveyor has inspected the vessel randomly and issues the PSC certificate which is a standard form. If the same vessel visits another port after a couple of months , a same procedure is followed. In this kind of method , the vessel is not fully surveyed. IE., there may be chance that both the port has concentrated on LSA equipments and have given PSC certificate.

There is a need for building special procedure so that the vessel is surveyed thoroughly in a year. Now if a PSC booklet schedule is  provided for a year i.e., for January engine room and LSA equipment , Feb – Cargo Equipments and FFA,  Mar – Load line survey & ship’s certificate etc., the vessel surveyed thoroughly covering the full prospects of the vessel.  Now if a vessel is sailing in a particular month then in the next port of call , the surveyor will survey for period of sailing month schedule. For each survey , the surveyor has to send the electronic certificate along with photographic proof, identification of surveyor and place.

Bribery is also a main factor to be considered in PSC. In developing countries , PSC inspectors find faults unnecessary and collects the bribe from the master for covering the deficiency. I thought that GDP per capita is directly proportional to the bribery to some extent. There is a need to find a solution for the bribery issue.