Mediterranean MOU: Regional Specificities
For a Med MoU call, check the competent Authority, ship particulars and reports, and current instructions: France and Albania bring membership to thirteen from 1 January 2026; 2024 statistics and the announced risk-profile transition have distinct roles.
Operational Explanation
The Mediterranean MOU (Med MoU) coordinates PSC among its member States. Call preparation starts with the competent Authority and applicable instructions: compare ship documents and particulars with available regional reports, check previous deficiencies and prepare rectification evidence. THETIS-Med supports information exchange and regional targeting; a country’s statistical figure does not replace checking the individual ship.
The 27th Committee session (21–23 October 2025, Kalkara, Malta) established membership for France and Albania from 1 January 2026, bringing the total to thirteen. Albania’s signature on 18 December 2025, announced on 11 January 2026, completes the documentary record without changing the effective date specified by the Committee.
The 2024 report records 5,993 inspections, 4,907 individual ships and 196 detentions; Türkiye (2,483) and Egypt (1,287) have the largest inspection counts. The narrative reports a 20% increase in the number of detentions, but the table’s 157→196 is approximately 24.8%: retain the source discrepancy without presenting its 20% as a verified calculation or an increase in the rate. BWM participation in 2025 is historical; for the current call check the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC and Authority instructions.
Regulatory Reference
Mediterranean MOU (Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Mediterranean Region). Eleven maritime Authorities up to 2025: Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye. That is the list the 2024 annual report carries inside itself, and it must be kept distinct from today's.
Thirteen from 1 January 2026. France's accession was signed at the 27th Med MoU Committee Session (Kalkara, Malta, 21-23 October 2025) with effect from 1 January 2026. Albania has been a full member from the same date. Both now appear in the official Member States list published by the Med MoU, each with its own national focal point: that page, not the annual report, is the source to cite for the present composition.
The statistics quoted here concern 2024. The consulted Annual Reports page presents that edition: check new publications without presuming a fixed December publication schedule. Med MoU: Annual Reports.
Basis of control. The MoU coordinates Administrations; PSC powers derive from conventions and port State law. IMO A.1206(34), §1.4 lists SOLAS I/19, IX/6.2, XI-1/4 and XI-2/9; MARPOL articles 5–6 and regulations I/11, II/16.9, III/9, IV/14, V/9 and VI/10; Load Lines article 21, STCW article X, TONNAGE article 12, AFS article 11 and BWM article 9. The MLC basis is separate: ILO Regulation 5.2.1 and Standard A5.2.1. In MARPOL Annex III, operational control, previously Regulation 8 in MEPC.193(61), became Regulation 9 with the new Regulation 1 introduced by MEPC.246(66), in force from 1 January 2016. For the connection between certificates, control and applicable instruments see Documentation requested by the PSCO.
PSC powers do not depend on flag membership of the MoU. Consider conventions accepted by the port State, national law and no-more-favourable treatment for ships of non-Parties.
The Committee endorsed MARPOL Annex VI and the Hong Kong Convention as relevant instruments from 1 January 2026. It also announced adoption of the Paris MoU profile with a planned two-year transition from January 2027: do not treat the Paris profile as already automatically operational in Med MoU. Check THETIS-Med and current instructions. Med MoU: 27th Committee outcomes.
Scope of Application
Foreign vessels calling at ports of Mediterranean MOU Authorities, within the instruments and provisions applicable to the vessel and voyage. For French Mediterranean ports, included in the regime from 2026, check the competent Authority and port instructions.
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Check the updated list of Med MoU member States, including the accession of France and Albania from 2026, for routes touching Mediterranean ports.
- Consult the latest Med MoU annual report for statistics and deficiency areas; compare it with the ship’s previous reports and check outstanding actions, deadlines and rectification evidence.
- Check the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC notice and questionnaire and Authority instructions; the 2025 BWM CIC has ended.
- Assess counts and rates separately with year and denominator; do not infer stricter control or an individual inspection probability from the annual change alone.
- Coordinate general PSC preparation taking into account any procedural specificities of the Med MoU compared with the Paris MoU and Tokyo MOU.
Practical Example
Example: a Company operates container ships with regular calls in Türkiye and Egypt and prepares a new rotation to French Mediterranean ports. For each call it checks the Authority, instructions and individual ship’s reports, assigns outstanding actions and checks the evidence. Türkiye’s 2,483 inspections and Egypt’s 1,287, the largest Med MoU counts in 2024, remain historical context: they do not alone establish the ship’s risk or different inspection severity.
What Typically Goes Wrong
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Using the source’s 20% as a verified increase in the 2024 detention rate | Counts and rates are confused and the 157→196 discrepancy is hidden | Quote 196 detentions and 5,993 inspections; distinguish the approximately 3.27% rate and the 157→196 comparison, flagging the inconsistent 20% in the narrative |
| Ignoring Med MoU participation in the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC | Preparation is outdated during the campaign | Check local application, current notice and Cargo Securing questionnaire |
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Check the current 13 members, including France and Albania from 1 January 2026.
- For the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC use the notice, questionnaire and port Authority instructions.
- Distinguish detention count, detention rate and possible causes.
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.
- Updated list of Med MoU member States checked, including the 2026 accession of France and Albania
- Most recent Med MoU annual report consulted for statistics and priority deficiency areas
- Med MoU CIC calendar checked, including any joint campaigns with other regimes
- Counts, rates and inconsistency in the 2023–2024 change distinguished in assessment
- General PSC documentation ready to standards applicable to the Med MoU regime
FAQ
Related Topics
Certified substantive revision: 14 October 2026 · page fingerprint 031a84f86e64