Technical Notices

This circular is issued to inform all surveyors within our network of the forthcoming revision to the Recognized Organization (RO) performance calculation methodology adopted by the Paris Memorandum on Port State Control (Paris MoU). The implementation of this revised methodology will commence on 6 July 2027.

However, from 1 January 2026, Paris MoU will begin linking detainable deficiencies to statutory certificates issued or endorsed by ROs in the inspection information system.

1. Purpose and Scope

The Paris MoU has updated its approach to RO performance in order to ensure consistency with the flag State performance mechanism and to better support the Ship Risk Profile process used by Port State Control Officers (PSCOs). The revised methodology introduces procedural and analytical changes that will affect how detentions and RO performance are measured and reported.

2. Key Changes in the New Methodology

2.1. Performance Categories and Calculation Basis.

Under the revised methodology:

• An RO’s average detention rate over a defined assessment period (typically three years) will be compared with the overall average detention rate.
• ROs will be classified into three performance categories:

High Performance – detention rate better than the overall average,

Medium Performance – detention rate equal to or worse than the overall average,

Low Performance – detention rate at least twice the overall average.

• Within each category, ROs will be listed alphabetically rather than ranked by excess factor or other metrics. This underscores that the primary objective of the performance list is to serve the Ship Risk Profile used in PSC targeting.

2.2. From Manual Responsibility Assignment to Statutory Certificate Relation
Under the previous methodology, PSCOs manually attributed ‘RO responsibility’ for detainable deficiencies during inspections. In contrast, the new approach will link detainable deficiencies directly to the RO that issued or endorsed the relevant statutory certificate.

• PSCOs will select the relevant statutory certificate in the inspection system based on the deficiency, and the linked RO will be recorded accordingly.
• Multiple detainable deficiencies from a single detention that relate to the same RO will count as one detention for performance purposes.

2.3. Extended Inclusion and Adjusted Criteria

All ROs will be included in the Paris MoU performance list regardless of inspection volume. For Ros with a limited number of inspections, dedicated criteria will be applied to prevent a single detention from resulting in immediate placement in the low performance category.

3. Transitional Implementation Schedule

To facilitate the transition:

• From 1 January 2026, Paris MoU will begin linking detainable deficiencies to statutory certificates issued or endorsed by ROs in the inspection information system.
• The new performance methodology will take effect on 6 July 2027 using data from calendar year 2026.
• On 1 July 2028, performance calculations will use data from 2026 and 2027, and from 1 July 2029 onward, a full three calendar years of data will be incorporated.

4. Implications for Surveyors

Surveyors play a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of our RO performance under the revised methodology. Surveyors should remain especially vigilant in the following areas:

• Accurate and clear certification of statutory items, ensuring correct linkage to the relevant certificate in the inspection reporting systems.
• Consistent identification and clear documentation of detainable deficiencies.
• Understanding that deficiencies linked to certificates will directly influence RO performance assessments.
• Being aware that multiple deficiencies in a single detention linked to the same RO will count as one detention for Paris MoU performance purposes.