Port State

Port State refers to that authority under which a country exercises regulatory control over the commercial vessel which is registered under another country’s flag. This authority only exists while those vessels are operating within that country’s territorial waters. United States territorial waters extend out to 12 miles (22.2 km).

The Coast Guard carries out this responsibility under the Port State Control (PSC) Initiative. The United States Coast Guard verifies that all foreign-flagged vessels operating in U.S. waters are in substantial compliance with international conventions, as well as all applicable U.S. laws/regulations and treaties. Coast Guard personnel performing this mission are referred to as Port State Control Officers (PSCO).

The Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control consists of 25 participating maritime administrations and covers the waters of the European coastal states and the North Atlantic basin from North America to Europe. [http://www.parismou.org]

ee also

*Flag State

References