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. The Netherlands moves up from four and is once again back in the runner-up position.
The new Paris MoU lists take effect from the 1st of July 2024. 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 loses runner-up spot on Port State Control performance list to Italy
2024 list versus 2023 list
Regarding the flag state performance list for 2022 (published in June 2023), a total number of 66 flags were listed: 39 on the White List, 18 on the Grey List and 9 on the Black List. This year, the list contains 71 flag states: 42 on the White List, 17 on the Grey List and 12 on the Black List. In 2021, 68 flags were listed: 40 on the White List, 21 on the Grey List and 7 on the Black List.
The new top 5 is: Denmark (1250 inspections, 12 detentions), the Netherlands (2648 inspections, 35 detentions), Norway (1758 inspections, 25 detentions), Singapore (1735 inspections, 25 detentions), and Italy (843 inspections, 10 detentions). It means Denmark has retained its top ranking, whereas the Netherlands moves up from fourth place. Italy drops from second to fifth place, Norway has moved up from 5 to 3 and Singapore has moved up from 6.
Finland ranks 6th (7th in 2023), Japan has entered the top 10 at 7 up from 15, the UK is at 8 (up from 10), Ireland has jumped from spot 24 to 9 and the Bahamas concludes the top 10 moving up from 11.
New entries on the White List Croatia and Saudi Arabia, both up from the Grey List. Canada and New Jersey (UK) are new entries, possibly due to now hitting the thirty-inspection threshold (32 and 31 inspections respectively). Latvia has lost its spot on the White List and is now on the Grey List. New on the Grey List are Bangladesh and Tunisia, while Albania and Sierra Leone have moved from the Black List to the Grey List.
Black List
The Black List is categorised in flag states posing a Medium, Medium to High or Very High Risk. Belize, Palau, Ukraine and Algeria fall into the first category, of which the first three have dropped from the Grey List. Togo, Azerbaijan, Vanuatu, and Comoro end up in the Medium to High Risk category.
Vietnam is new on the list and ends up in the High Risk category together with the Republic of Moldova. The Very High Risk flag states are the United Republic of Tanzania (119 inspections, 29 detentions) and Cameroon (122 inspections, 35 detentions). Cameroon has ended up in last postition for several years now.
Also read: Dutch flag drops one spot 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 sixty inspections per RO is needed before the performance is taken into account for the list. For 2023, 32 ROs have been included in the performance list.
A new top 3 has emerged in the 2024 performance list: American Bureau of Shipping, DNV and new in third place China Classification Society (up from 6). Lloyd’s Register has dropped a spot and now comes in fourth. Compared to last year’s performance level, the RO performance level has a similar level as last year, with only two ROs performing “Low” (Panama Shipping Registrar and Hellas Naval Bureau of Shipping S.M.P.C., the latter of which did not appear on the 2023 list). An entry listed as Other is marked “Very Low”.
Also read: Dutch flag rises on Port State Control performance list
