The Paris Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has published its new performance lists for flag states and recognised organisations. Denmark still tops the list as best-performing flag state, but the Netherlands has lost its runner-up position to Italy and now ranks fourth.
The new Paris MoU lists take effect from the 1st of July 2023. The flag state performance overview is divided into a White, Grey and Black List. It is based on the total number of inspections and detentions during a three-year rolling period for flags with at least thirty inspections in the period.
The White List represents quality flags with a consistently low detention record. Flags with an average performance are shown on the Grey List. Their appearance on this list may serve as an incentive to improve. At the same time flags at the lower end of the Grey List should be careful not to neglect control over their ships and risk ending up on the Black List next year.
Also read: Netherlands moves up to second place on Port State Control performance list
2022 list versus 2021 list
Regarding the flag state performance list for 2021 (published in June 2022), a total number of 68 flags were listed: 40 on the White List, 21 on the Grey List and 7 on the Black List. This year, the list contains 66 flag states: 39 on the White List, 18 on the Grey List and 9 on the Black List. In 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic and therefore giving the most relevant comparison, the total number of flag states on the list was 68, of which 41 on the White List, 16 on the Grey List and 13 on the Black List.
The new top 5 is: Denmark (1121 inspections, 9 detentions), Italy (802 inspections, 7 detentions), Greece (617 inspections, 5 detentions), the Netherlands (2536 inspections, 39 detentions), and Norway (1572 inspections, 23 detentions). It means Denmark has retained its top ranking, whereas the Netherlands has lost its runner-up position to Italy.
Greece (up from 6th place) and Italy (up from 10th place) have entered the top 5, with the Bahamas dropping from 4 to 11 and Japan from 5 to 15.
New entries on the White List are Poland and Thailand, while Croatia, Panama and Saudi Arabia dropped from the White List to the Grey List. Up from the Black List to the Grey List is Egypt. Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Vanuatu on the other hand dropped from Grey to Black. Curacao and Mongolia have disappeared from the list, possibly due to not hitting the thirty-inspection threshold.
Also read: Dutch flag drops one spot on Port State Control performance list
Black List
The Black List is categorised in flag states posing a Medium, Medium to High or Very High Risk. Tanzania, Comoros, Sierra Leone, Vanuatu and Albania fall into the first category; Togo, Algeria and Moldova into the second. The only country on the Black List falling into the category High Risk and coming in last is once again Cameroon.
Also read: Dutch flag rises on Port State Control performance list
RO performance
For several years the Committee has closely monitored the performance of recognised organisations (ROs) acting on behalf of flag states. To calculate the performance of ROs, the same formula to calculate the excess factor of the flags is used. A minimum number of 60 inspections per RO is needed before the performance is taken into account for the list.
The top 3 of best performing ROs remained the same: American Bureau of Shipping, DNV and Lloyd’s Register. Compared to last year’s performance level, the RO performance level has a similar level as last year, with only one RO performing “low” (Panama Shipping Registrar).
