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The Isle of Man Ship Registry (‘IOMSR’) has issued its Q2 2026 Port State Control (‘PSC’) Notice, covering PSC inspection trends identified across all Manx flagged vessels between April and June 2026.
The notice identifies three priority risk areas and sets out the deficiencies raised across MoU regions by ship type. For owners and managers with vessels on the Isle of Man register, the findings provide a clear steer on where inspectors are focusing attention.
Top 3 Risk Areas
The IOMSR has identified the following as the highest-risk categories based on Q2 PSC activity:
- Fire Safety: the single largest deficiency category, accounting for 14.04% of all deficiencies recorded
- Certificates & Documentation: 10.53%, spanning ship certificates, crew certificates, and onboard documents
- Life Saving Appliances: 8.77%, with multiple deficiencies across lifeboat and rescue boat equipment and training records
These three areas alone account for over a third of all deficiencies raised during the quarter. The IOMSR as advised owners to place particular emphasis on these risk areas during their own internal inspections ahead of any Port State Control visit.
What Deficiency Detail Shows
The granular deficiency data in the notice points to some recurring and avoidable issues.
On Fire Safety, inspectors found CO2 release cabinets incorrectly labelled, self-closing fire doors held open by wedges, fire extinguishing systems with blocked sprinkler headers, and oil-soaked mats in engine rooms. Fuel oil leakage alarms disconnected due to repeated false triggering were also identified, a situation that carries obvious risk regardless of the operational inconvenience.
On Certificates and Documentation, deficiencies included Seafarer Employment Agreements not properly executed or bearing original signatures, records of rest with incomplete entries, fire safety operational booklets either absent or containing incorrect procedures, and a Maritime Labour Certificate found to be invalid because the DMLC attached was issued at a different port than indicated on the certificate. Each of these is a straightforward administrative failure with a straightforward fix.
On Life Saving Appliances, inspectors found rescue boat launching equipment seized with rust, lifeboats with no evidence of water manoeuvring in the previous six months, and training manuals that did not adequately cover the procedures they are required to explain. These findings suggest that drills and maintenance schedules are not being consistently followed through and documented.
Ballast Water deficiencies also featured prominently on record books with missing or consolidated entries, bypass valves found open, and Ballast Water Management Plans lacking ship-specific procedures, a pattern the registry will be alert to in coming quarters.
Commercial Yacht Operators
The Q2 data includes deficiencies raised against commercial yachts specifically, including documentation and crew certificate issues. Owners and managers operating commercial yachts under the Isle of Man flag should note that PSC scrutiny extends across all vessel types, and the documentation standards expected of cargo vessels apply equally in the yacht sector.
What Should You Do following the Port State Control Notice>
The IOMSR advice is clear: conduct internal checks against these risk areas before your next PSC inspection and raise any concerns with the registry promptly.
The deficiency detail in the notice is a useful checklist.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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