SOME 40,000 SHIPS ply the planet's oceans, most of them crewed by the world's poor and owned by shadowy offshore companies flying flags of convenience. These embodiments of global capital and trade that carry almost all the raw materials and finished products on which human life depends represent free enterprise at its best. Yet, in their wake are polluting ship-wrecks, fatal accidents, piracy and maritime terrorism. To ensure that ships calling at their shores were complying with the international rules on safety, pollution prevention and seafarers' living and working conditions, 14 European countries agreed in 1982 to coordinate their inspection effort under a voluntary agreement known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU). Thus was born Port State Control which enforces compliance of the international rules on vessel owners and the flag state.

The Paris MoU has been the blueprint for regional Port State Control regimes in the Asia-Pacific Rim (Tokyo MoU), Latin America (Vina del Mar), the Mediterranean, Caribbean and elsewhere. There are news reports of a rise in the number of ships under Indian flags getting detained in foreign shores for violation of Port State Control regulations. This is not surprising, as Indian flag vessels are not exactly known for being ship-shape. Nor are Indian ship-owners known for their strict adherence to the various rules and regulations governing maritime trade. What is surprising though is that vessels owned by the state-owned Shipping Corporation of India have also been booked. The Directorate-General of Shipping may be a typically idealistic construct. Its Port State Control rules and regulations appear tough and water-tight in print, but are flouted with impunity, if news reports are to be believed. Why does the DG Shipping find it difficult to make the ship-owners abide by the rules and regulations framed to conform to the Tokyo or Paris MoU? Are the regulations unenforceable? One explanation is that at a time when shipping is booming, the owners' priority will be to grab the opportunity thrown up by the market and make money, without paying too much attention to rules and regulations. In such a situation, perhaps the DG Shipping too prefers to look the other way.

Time has come for the shipping industry to realise a few things. Today, ships can expect Port State Control inspections in almost every country. To avoid being detained, it is critical that every ship's officers and crew understand the Port State Control norms and are prepared for inspections. This calls for crew training programmes that emphasise the importance of adhering to the Port State Control regulations. The reward will be fewer delays at ports, shorter inspections, safer ships and, ultimately, a better deal for shippers.

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