The Black Sea MoU said that in 2025 the average detention percentage rose to 6.78% — the highest level recorded since 2007.
In its Port State Control Annual Report 2025, the Black Sea MoU said its member authorities carried out a total of 5,117 inspections, representing an 11.6% increase compared to 2024. This remains approximately 3% below the ten-year average of 5,274 inspections under the New Inspection Regime, which began in 2016.
The reporting period was marked by the ongoing armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, which continued to pose serious risks to the safety and security of crews and vessels operating in the region.
Due to the ongoing war, exact data on the number of individual ships operating in the region was unavailable. As a result, data for the broader region was not accessible. Therefore, for the purposes of this analysis, it has been assumed that throughout the year, vessels calling at Ukrainian ports also visited at least one port in other Member States. Based on this assumption, the regional inspection rate for 2025 (calculated as individual ships inspected as a percentage of individual ship visits) was determined to be 74.74%.
Out of 5,117 inspections conducted last year, 3,596 of them were found with deficiencies, corresponding to a deficiency rate of 70.3%. This represents the second-highest rate recorded since the establishment of the BS MoU on PSC, exceeded only by 72.4% in 2007.
Deficiencies
In 2025, a total of 21,973 deficiencies were recorded during the port state control inspections.
The most frequently identified deficiencies were related to:
- safety of navigation with 2,950 deficiencies (share of total deficiencies: 13.4%)
- fire safety with 2,188 deficiencies (10.0%)
- life-saving appliances with 2,022 deficiencies (9.2%)
- working conditions with 1,845 deficiencies (8.4%)
- documents with 1,591 deficiencies (7.2%).
These five categories collectively accounted for 48.2% of all deficiencies recorded in 2025.
Detentions
A notable development in 2025 was the significant rise in the average detention percentage, which rose to 6.78%. This represents the highest level recorded since 2007 and the third highest since the establishment of the Black Sea MoU, with only 2007 (8.16%) and 2004 (6.95%) having higher rates.
The upward trend in detentions has been consistent since the post-Covid-19 pandemic period, with rates rising to:
- 17% in 2021
- 50% in 2022
- 93% in 2023
- 69% in 2024
- 78% in 2025
This pattern underscores the critical role of effective port state control in addressing substandard shipping and safeguarding maritime safety and the marine environment.
A total of 347 vessels were detained in 2025 due to result of deficiencies considered clearly hazardous to safety, health or environment. These detained vessels were registered under 31 different Flag Administrations.
The overall detention percentage in the region increased from 4.71% in 2024 to 6.78% in 2025, continuing its upward trend. Additionally, considering that several ships were inspected and detained more than once during the year, the regional detention rate in 2025 (based on individual ships detained as a percentage of individual ships inspected) rose to 9.07%, marking the highest rate since the introduction of the New Inspection Regime.
A total of 2,019 detainable deficiencies were recorded during PSC inspections in 2025. The most common detainable deficiencies were related to:
- safety of navigation with 327 deficiencies (share of total detainable deficiencies: 16.2%)
- fire safety with 258 deficiencies (12.8%)
- emergency systems with 200 deficiencies (9.9%)
- ISM with 162 deficiencies (8.0%)
- life-saving appliances with 146 deficiencies (7.2%)
These five categories represented 54.1% of all detainable deficiencies recorded in 2025.
Download the full report: Black Sea MoU Port State Control Annual Report 2025