Paris MoU: Temporary Guidance Related to COVID-19 For Port State Control Authorities

The Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU) has amended its previously drafted guidelines in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance is being made publicly available to appropriately inform the industry.

The original temporary guidance for Member Authorities recognised the need for flexibility under these special circumstances in a harmonized way, and extensions of ships’ certificates with three months could be accepted.

In light of continuing operational challenges for ships, and uncertainty about the duration of the pandemic, the Paris MoU has amended its guidance, recognising that a limitation of three months in the guidance may be too short to address the challenges currently being faced.

In light of the current exceptional circumstances, extensions of the validity of certificates to an appropriate and proportional grace period specific to COVID-19 may be accepted.