Russia makes the cut as Paris MoU's white list expands

Lithuania and Russia are the latest countries to be added to the Paris MoU on Port State Control's white list, which comprises vessel registries with a consistently low detention record.

The Paris MoU today released its latest performance list for flags and recognised organisations (ROs), which is based on its 2018 inspection results.

Some 18 flags make up the Paris MoU's grey list for 2018, down from 20 flags in 2017.

Saudi Arabia has dropped from the white list to the grey list, which denotes flags with average performance.

Vanuatu has been upgraded to the grey list from the black list.

At the lower end of the scale, the Paris MoU's black list this year has two new entrants: Albania and Mongolia.

The flag of Albania was downgraded from the grey list.

Mongolia was added to the Paris MoU's performance lists for the first time.

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Best and worst performers

The Isle of Man flag topped the white list with just five detentions arising from 657 inspections by the Paris MoU between 2016 and 2018.

At the bottom of the black list, the Republic of Congo flag was inspected 98 times over the same timeframe, resulting in 26 vessels being detained.

Earlier this month, the Paris MoU banned two Comoros-flagged cargoships for failing three port state checks in three years.

The Comoros flag is one of the five worst performing flags on the Paris MoU's black list.