() This annual report summarizes the port State control developments and activities of the Tokyo MOU in 2025. Moreover, the report also provides port State control statistics and analysis on the results of inspections carried out by member Authorities during the year.
The Tokyo MOU, through its effective and successful operation, has played important role for the elimination of substandard shipping in the region, which has been proved by the decreased trend of casualty rate and its strong correlation with the detention rate, a key effectiveness indicator for PSC inspections.
In 2025, 35,546 inspections, involving 19,980 individual ships, were carried out on ships registered under 111 flags. Out of 35,546 inspections, there were 23,230 inspections
where ships were found with deficiencies. Since the total number of individual ships operating in the region was estimated at 30,046, the inspection rate in the region was
approximately 66% in 2025.
A ship is detained when the condition of the ship or its crew does not correspond substantially with the applicable conventions. Such strong action is to ensure that the ship cannot sail until it can proceed to sea without presenting a danger to the ship or persons on board, /or without presenting an unreasonable threat of harm to the marine environment.
In 2025, 1,255 ships registered under 73 flags were detained due to serious deficiencies having been found onboard. The detention rate of ships inspected was 3.53%.
For the purpose of targeting ships to be inspected, the flag performance list indicates levels of performance of flags over a three-year rolling period. Flags, whose ships were involved in 30 or more inspections during the period, are included in the list. The performance list for 2023-2025 consists of 66 flags. The number of flags in the low performance list is 15, two flags more than the last year. The number of flags on the medium performance list is 19, one flag less than last year. The high performance list includes 32 flags, two more than the previous year.
A list of under-performing ships (i.e., ships detained three or more times during previous twelve months) is published monthly. A total of 222 vessels, involving 52 individual ships, were identified as under-performing ships in 2025.
A total of 90,168 deficiencies were recorded in 2025. It has been noted that fire safety measures, lifesaving appliances, working and living conditions and safety of navigation remain as the major categories of deficiencies frequently discovered on ships. In 2025, 18,020 deficiencies related to fire safety measures, 11,818 deficiencies related to life-saving appliances, 9,108 deficiencies related to working and living conditions and 8,936 deficiencies related to safety of navigation were recorded, representing 53% of the total number of all recorded deficiencies.
As the outcome of the CIC on Ballast Water Management (BWM) in 2025, number of deficiencies relating to BWM were three times higher than that of the previous year.
Furthermore, it is also observed that deficiencies related to structure conditions, /weathertight conditions, emergency systems and propulsion and auxiliary machinery were found increased continuously during past years. Such increase proved the concerns expressed by the Tokyo MOU on current situation of lacking of effective maintenance carried out onboard ships.
Source:Tokyo MOU
