PSC Detentions Up 70%: What 2026 Data Reveals About Fleet Compliance

Published at Posidonia in June 2026, a new Survitec report sends a clear message to fleet operators: port state control (PSC) detentions have risen 70% over the past five years, while the total number of inspections has remained flat. This isn't a blip. It's a structural signal that fleet maintenance standards are deteriorating.

For fleet managers and technical superintendents, the numbers are unambiguous. One in seven merchant vessels will likely be detained at least once in the next three years. Only half of all PSC inspections now conclude without any deficiency noted.

The 2026 numbers that demand attention

Across the main PSC regimes, the trend is consistent and well-documented:

• Paris MOU detention rate: 4.18% in 2025, up from 4.03% in 2024 and 3.81% in 2023.

• Tokyo MOU: detentions doubled from 526 (2021) to 1,255 (2025).

• Black Sea MOU: record rate of 6.8% in 2025.

• DNV: 64 detentions in Q1 2026, up from 52 in Q1 2025 — a 23% year-on-year increase.

What makes these figures particularly significant: the majority of detained vessels had never been detained before. This is not a problem confined to ageing rust-buckets. It's spreading through the middle of the fleet — ships that appear to be properly operated, but whose day-to-day maintenance falls short of what PSC inspectors require.

What inspectors look for — and find

The deficiency categories driving detentions have barely changed in years. DNV's Q1 2026 PSC review confirms two codes dominate every quarter:

15150 — ISM (International Safety Management): failures in the effective implementation of the safety management system. Undocumented drills, procedures not followed, incomplete or missing records.

15109 — Maintenance of ship and equipment: failed smoke detectors, non-functional emergency fire pumps, emergency generators that fail to take load during a simulated blackout test.

"Most detentions stem from systemic and preventable lapses in maintenance and crew training, rather than sudden equipment failures." — Survitec, Posidonia 2026 report

The implication is important: vessels are not being detained because of unexpected breakdowns. They are being detained because maintenance is not being tracked, documented and verified to the standard the ISM Code requires.

Vessel age: the underestimated risk factor

Age is the single strongest predictor of PSC detention across every inspection regime. Risk increases sharply at 15 years and rises further beyond 20. The global fleet is ageing: the share of vessels over 25 years old grew from 36% in 2014 to 44% in 2024, as owners defer newbuilding orders amid uncertainty over future fuel choices and rising construction costs.

Allianz's 2024 marine loss data confirms the pattern: half of all maritime casualties in 2024 involved vessels over 20 years old, and the average age of a vessel lost in a serious casualty was 29 years. An ageing vessel without a rigorous preventive maintenance plan is one failed PSC inspection away from detention.

The 2026 CIC on cargo securing — act now

For September to November 2026, Paris and Tokyo MOU have announced a joint Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) focused on cargo securing. PSC officers will specifically target cargo stowage plans, securing equipment, and crew familiarity with cargo securing procedures.

For fleet operators, the preparation window is open now. Three concrete steps significantly reduce your risk: review cargo securing documentation, conduct a physical equipment inspection, and run a documented crew drill before September.

The cost of a detention — a calculation worth making

Survitec's analysis is straightforward. At a charter rate of $10,000–18,000 per day, quality PSC preparation pays for itself by avoiding a single detention over three years.

For a technical superintendent managing a fleet, one PSC detention means:

• Vessel off-hire for the duration of deficiency rectification

• Additional port costs

• A degraded vessel risk profile on THETIS and Equasis, increasing the likelihood of future targeted inspections

• Reputational and operational pressure across the entire fleet

The question is not whether the vessel will be inspected. The question is what condition it will be in on the day.

Digital preventive maintenance: the concrete solution

Almost every deficiency that leads to a PSC detention is preventable. Survitec's data proves it. What inspectors cite are failures of process and documentation — not unforeseeable equipment failures.

A properly implemented maritime CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) addresses these root causes directly:

• Automatic scheduling of maintenance tasks to regulatory and manufacturer intervals

• Full traceability of every intervention: who, when, with what materials, sign-off

• Preventive alerts ahead of critical deadlines: fire extinguisher service, emergency generator tests, drills to document

• Immediate access to full maintenance history during a PSC inspection, from the vessel or the office

BoatOn Book is built for vessels from 15 to 150 metres that need a practical alternative to heavyweight enterprise tools or spreadsheets. The maintenance module automatically generates ISM-compliant maintenance logs and intervention reports.

When a PSC inspector asks for the maintenance history of the engine room smoke detector: the answer is ready in seconds, not buried in a filing cabinet.

Key takeaways

Rising PSC detentions are not inevitable. They are the measurable symptom of maintenance that is insufficiently tracked and ISM compliance that is poorly supported. The 2026 data shows clearly where the risk lies — and how to address it.

Managing a fleet and looking to reduce your PSC exposure? Request a BoatOn Book demo and see how our clients have reduced their PSC risk.