Why this exists
A Port State Control inspection rarely goes wrong because of one dramatic failure. It goes wrong in the small gaps: an expired drill record, a wedged fire door, an hours-of-rest sheet that does not add up, or a certificate nobody checked.
Those gaps are findable before the inspector arrives. The point of a self-inspection is to walk the ship as if you were the Port State Control Officer and find the problems while there is still time to fix them.
This guide is organised the way inspections actually run: by area. It gives the check on the left and why it matters on the right.
How to use it: Work through each section on board. Do not just tick the box. Look for evidence that would stand up if someone else asked for it.
Important: Requirements vary by vessel type, size, flag state and trading area. This is a general readiness aid, not a compliance determination. Always work to your Safety Management System and flag state requirements.
1. Certificates and documentation
The paperwork check is where many inspections begin.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| All statutory certificates present, valid and not expired. | An expired or missing statutory certificate is one of the fastest routes to a detention, and it is preventable with a diary check. |
| Certificate endorsements completed within their windows. | A valid certificate with an overdue endorsement is still a deficiency. |
| Minimum Safe Manning Document matches the crew actually on board. | A mismatch between the manning document and the real crew list is a common serious finding. |
| Officer certificates of competency and endorsements valid for the vessel and voyage. | Flag state endorsements are frequently overlooked when crew transfer between vessels. |
| Records and manuals required by your SMS are on board and current. | “It is on the office server” is not on board. |
2. Life-saving appliances
Governed by SOLAS. A high-attention PSC area.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Lifeboats, rescue boats and davits maintained, tested and free to launch. | Seized or poorly maintained launching gear is both a deficiency and a danger to the crew operating it. |
| Liferafts within service date; hydrostatic release units correctly rigged and in date. | An out-of-date raft service or wrongly rigged HRU defeats the system. |
| Lifejackets, immersion suits and lights: correct quantity, stowage and condition. | Count them against the certificate, not memory. |
| Pyrotechnics in date and correctly stowed. | Expired pyrotechnics are a routine avoidable finding. |
| Muster lists posted, current and matching the crew on board. | An out-of-date muster list signals the drills are not being controlled properly. |
| Drill records complete and evidenced at required intervals. | Inspectors check the record and often the reality. A logged drill you cannot demonstrate is a problem. |
3. Fire safety
Governed by SOLAS. A recurring PSC deficiency area.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Fire doors operational, self-closing and not wedged or tied open. | A wedged-open fire door defeats structural fire protection. |
| Fire dampers, ventilation closures and quick-closing valves operable. | These fail quietly. Test them; do not assume them. |
| Fire detection and alarm system operational, with no defeated zones. | A disabled detection zone is a finding and a real risk. |
| Fixed firefighting system in date, maintained and accessible. | Blocked or poorly maintained release arrangements undermine emergency response. |
| Portable extinguishers charged, in date and correctly located. | Count, location and service date all matter. |
| Emergency escape routes clear, marked and lit. | Escape routes used as storage are a classic avoidable deficiency. |
| Firefighter outfits and breathing apparatus complete and serviceable. | Check cylinder charge and mask condition, not just presence. |
4. Pollution prevention
Governed by MARPOL as applicable to vessel type and cargo.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Oil Record Book correctly and contemporaneously completed. | An inconsistent ORB entry can escalate a routine inspection quickly. |
| Oily water separator operational, with no bypass arrangements. | Bypass findings are among the most serious pollution-prevention issues. |
| Garbage Record Book and Garbage Management Plan current. | Annex V records are routinely checked. |
| Sewage treatment or holding arrangements compliant for the trading area. | Discharge rules vary by area. |
| Air pollution documentation in order. | Fuel changeover records, bunker delivery notes and ECA records may be inspected. |
| Ballast water management records consistent with the plan. | Record consistency matters when inspectors compare practice against the plan. |
5. Crew welfare and the human element
Governed by MLC 2006. Where welfare and inspection risk meet.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Hours of rest records accurate, consistent and free of impossible entries. | The records must reflect reality. Impossible entries are easy to challenge. |
| Seafarer Employment Agreements in place, signed and available. | Missing or incomplete SEAs are a straightforward MLC deficiency. |
| Accommodation, catering and hygiene standards maintained. | Inspectors do look, especially where crew welfare concerns are raised. |
| Wages paid correctly and on time, with records. | Non-payment or late payment of wages is a serious MLC issue. |
| Complaint procedures posted and understood by crew. | Crew must know how to raise a complaint, and the system must work. |
| Valid medical certificates for all crew. | Expired medicals are an easily missed finding. |
6. Safety of navigation
Governed by SOLAS.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Navigational charts and publications corrected and up to date. | Uncorrected charts or ECDIS data can become detainable. |
| Bridge equipment operational and tested. | A logged fault with no rectification plan is a problem. |
| Passage plans complete berth-to-berth. | Incomplete passage planning is both a paperwork and competence finding. |
| Lights, shapes and sound signals operational. | Simple, visible and often overlooked. |
| GMDSS records and battery tests up to date. | Radio survey findings can escalate quickly. |
7. ISM Code and your SMS
This is the area that turns individual gaps into a system finding.
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Crew can locate and use relevant SMS procedures quickly. | An inspector may test whether the system is lived or just filed. |
| Maintenance records match actual equipment condition. | A record that says “tested” in front of equipment that clearly was not tested ends credibility. |
| Non-conformities and corrective actions tracked and closed out. | Open NCRs with no action show the system is not working. |
| Master’s review and management-of-change records current. | These demonstrate the SMS is a living system. |
| Familiarisation records for new crew complete. | New joiners must be demonstrably familiarised. |
| DPA contact details posted and known to crew. | Crew should know who the DPA is and how to reach them. |
8. Final walk-round: 10 things people miss
- Wedged or tied-back fire doors.
- Expired or missing certificates.
- Hours-of-rest records that do not add up.
- Escape routes blocked with stores.
- Out-of-date liferaft service or wrongly rigged HRU.
- Oil Record Book gaps or unexplained corrections.
- Drill records logged but not evidenced.
- Uncorrected charts or ECDIS.
- Expired pyrotechnics or extinguisher services.
- A crew that cannot find the right SMS procedure.
Where this checklist stops
This checklist helps you find the gaps. Closing them consistently across a fleet and rehearsing the inspection itself is a bigger job.
Meriden Compliance builds the PSC Inspection AI Readiness Kit for exactly that: AI-assisted tools to pressure-test readiness and close gaps before a PSCO finds them.
View the PSC Inspection AI Readiness Kit
If you are crew and this helped, forward it to your DPA or QHSE manager.
Disclaimer. This checklist is a general self-inspection aid for maritime professionals. It does not constitute legal, regulatory or compliance advice, and it is not a substitute for the requirements of SOLAS, MARPOL, MLC 2006, the ISM Code, ISPS, your flag state's requirements, or your vessel's approved Safety Management System. Requirements vary by vessel type, size, flag and trading area. All outputs must be reviewed by a competent person. Verify all regulatory references and inspection criteria against current source material before acting.
© Meriden Compliance. Free to share unaltered.
© Meriden Compliance. Free to share unaltered.