The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has released the U.S. Port State Control (PSC) Annual Report for 2024. The report said in 2024, a total of 11,273 individual vessels, from 79 different flag administrations, made 84,034 port calls to the U.S. 8,710 PSC exams were conducted. These exam numbers increased over the 2023 total of 8,278. The total number of ships detained in 2024 for environmental protection, safety, and security related deficiencies decreased from 101 to 82.
Detainable deficiencies overview
• Fire Safety. The prevention of fires on board ships is always an area of particular concern for our PSC program. For the fourth straight year fire safety deficiencies lead all deficiency categories. Oil accumulation in the engine room once again led the deficiency total, 18 deficiencies. However, this was a significant reduction from last year’s total of 31 deficiencies.
• Safety Management Systems (SMS). There was a significant decline in the number of SMS detainable deficiencies for 2024 with the total deficiency count dropping from 85 to 65. Deficiencies related to maintenance of the ship and equipment led all SMS deficiency categories.
• Lifesaving Appliances. Detainable deficiencies related to lifesaving systems remained consistent with last year’s totals of 20 deficiencies being issued. Once again, deficiencies related to rescue boats and inflatable liferafts lead this category of deficiencies. Most deficiencies related to the proper stowage of rescue boats and ability to deploy them. Several liferaft deficiencies were issued for expired servicing, poor condition of, or the lack of any rations.
• Propulsion & Auxiliary Machinery. 17 deficiencies were cited under this category. PSCO observed significant exhaust leaks from generator exhaust manifolds and significant deterioration of M/E exhaust manifolds near the turbo chargers.
• International Ship & Port Facility Security (ISPS). With 16 total deficiencies related to ISPS this year, several were related to access control to the ship while others related to the competency of the ship’s security officer and the ability of the ship’s crew to conduct proper security drills.
Read the report: USCG PSC Annual Report
