The use of Risk Concept to characterize and select High Risk Vessels for ship inspections

Abstract

The Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU) has defined criteria aimed at better targeting of ships for Port State Control inspections. These criteria are mostly based on ship detentions or deficiencies. Another approach proposed in this paper is based on the concept of risk, combining in various ways the probability of the occurrence of casualties and the potential consequences of such occurrences. These measures are to help identify High Risk Vessels (HRV) and to inspect them accordingly.

The aim of this paper is to present methods used and results obtained in research into the use of the “Risk Concept” in selecting HRV for inspection. The research was carried out in the framework of the European project MarNIS of the 6^th Framework Program. To improve in the short term the current vessel-targeting system, it is proposed — as a first step — to combine the criteria used in this study (based on the three static physical ship variables: type, size and age)with the Paris MoU list of criteria restricted only to the flag, Recognized Organization and company of the vessel.