Communicating with the PSCO
During PSC, clarify requests and any clear grounds communicated by the PSCO, answer with verifiable facts and arrange safe demonstrations. At the end, review findings and required actions together.
Operational Explanation
The master or designated officer coordinates the visit and makes available personnel familiar with the requested document or equipment. On boarding, check the PSCO’s identity and clarify the reason for inspection; the source of a complaint may remain confidential. If a question is unclear, ask for it to be rephrased before answering or demonstrating an operation. Explain test risks and agree safe arrangements without concealing equipment condition.
Initial inspection includes certificates and general condition. Evidence may require closer examination; where the ship is already clearly unsafe, detention need not await a rigid sequence of stages.
At debrief, compare the report with the facts discussed: technical description, reference, action taken, deadline and follow-up arrangements. Ask about anything unclear and record technical disagreements with verifiable evidence. The master may contact the flag/RO when the PSCO communicates clear grounds; clarify complaint or appeal procedures with the authority, without assuming that they automatically suspend instructions or detention.
Regulatory Reference
Control rests on applicable conventions and port-State law; MoUs coordinate procedures. Distinguish a more detailed inspection based on applicable clear grounds from an expanded inspection, also selected by ship profile, type and age. Paris MoU: Inspection Type.
SOLAS I/19 addresses certificate control and closer examination where its conditions are met. It is not the sole basis: SOLAS IX/6.2, XI-1/4, XI-2/9 and other conventions address different aspects. Initial inspection also includes observing general condition. IMO A.1206(34).
SOLAS I/11 requires maintenance of the prescribed condition and governs post-survey changes, with the exceptions set out in the regulation. An unauthorized change to surveyed items may justify closer examination; assess its nature and relevance rather than extending the restriction to every maintenance intervention.
SOLAS I/19 provides measures to prevent unsafe departure and specific communications when control action is taken or the ship proceeds to another port. Notifications to the flag, relevant organizations and next port depend on the applicable case; they are not a universal sequence for every PSC visit.
SOLAS XI-1/4 concerns the master’s and crew’s familiarity with essential procedures. An unsatisfactory drill must be assessed for nature, severity and actual response capability: it does not automatically mean detention, nor does every expired certificate always produce the same outcome.
Before a demonstration agree safe arrangements and identify any risks to the PSCO. At debrief check facts, references, action taken and deadlines; technical explanations or objections do not replace compliance with issued directions.
Scope of Application
Every interaction between the crew and the PSCO during an inspection, from the welcome on board to the final debrief.
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Cooperate and answer truthfully and concisely.
- Provide requested documents without concealing facts.
- Distinguish initial inspection, clear grounds and more detailed inspection.
- When a drill is requested, clarify safe arrangements and demonstrate actual duties; the PSCO/authority assesses its result and severity under the applicable procedures.
Practical Example
Example: a seafarer does not understand a technical question, asks for clarification and demonstrates the procedure relevant to their duties. Record and correct any gap identified; honesty does not replace required competence.
What Typically Goes Wrong
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Memorised answers without understanding assigned duties | The answer may not reflect ability to perform the requested operation | Prepare crew to explain and demonstrate their own procedures; clarify questions without coaching uniform answers |
| A defensive or reluctant attitude in providing documentation | May require clarification; clear grounds depend on evidence | Make relevant documents retrievable and clarify the request and any access limits under the applicable instrument |
| Downplaying or hiding an obvious deficiency | The condition and risk remain inaccurately represented, even where action has started | Describe facts, limitations and actual action; show available evidence without declaring an incomplete rectification closed |
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Train the crew on the substance of procedures, not on answers to recite in the event of an inspection.
- Answer clearly, request clarification when needed and document technical disagreements with verifiable references.
- Always clarify, at the end of the inspection, the timescales and manner of rectifying every deficiency found.
Preparation checklist
Educational checklist. This summary supports learning and preparation only. It does not replace the vessel’s approved procedures, manuals, statutory documents, company SMS, or applicable official requirements. Completing it demonstrates neither compliance nor readiness for an inspection: it shows that a list has been read, not that the ship is in order. Always verify the current documents carried on board.
- Courteous welcome and relevant documents retrievable under the applicable control
- Crew prepared on the substance of procedures, not rote-learned answers
- No downplaying of obvious deficiencies
- Internal record of the course of the inspection
- Final clarification on deficiencies and required rectification timescales
FAQ
Related Topics
Certified substantive revision: 14 October 2026 · page fingerprint e5496c40889c