Press release

Foreign flagged ships detained in the UK during December 2020

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) announced today that six foreign flagged ships remained under detention in UK ports during December 2020 after failing port state control (PSC) inspection.

This news article was withdrawn on

This article has been withdrawn as it is over 2 years old. It remains available as a public record of events and was accurate at the time of publishing.

During December, there were four new detentions of foreign flagged vessels in a UK port.

  1. In response to one of the recommendations of Lord Donaldson’s inquiry into the prevention of pollution from merchant shipping, and in compliance with the EU Directive on Port State Control (2009/16/EC as amended), the Maritime and Coastguard agency (MCA) publishes details of the foreign flagged vessels detained in UK ports each month.

  2. The UK is part of a regional agreement on port state control known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MOU) and information on all ships that are inspected is held centrally in an electronic database known as THETIS. This allows the ships with a high risk rating and poor detention records to be targeted for future inspection.

  3. Inspections of foreign flagged ships in UK ports are undertaken by surveyors from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious, they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained.

  4. All deficiencies should be rectified before departure.

  5. When applicable, the list includes those passenger craft prevented from operating under the provisions of the EU Directive on a system of inspections for the safe operation of Ro-Ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft in regular service and amending directive 2009/16/EC and repealing Council Directive 1999/35/EC (Directive EU 2017/2110).

Notes on the list of detentions:

  • Full details of the ship.

The accompanying detention list shows ship’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number which is unchanging throughout the ship’s life and uniquely identifies it. It also shows the ship’s name and flag state at the time of its inspection.

  • Company.

The company shown in the vessel’s Safety Management Certificate (SMC) or if there is no SMC, then the party otherwise believed to be responsible for the safety of the ship at the time of inspection.

  • Classification society.

The list shows the classification society responsible for classing the ship only.

  • Recognised organisation.

Responsible for conducting the statutory surveys: and issuing statutory certificates on behalf of the flag state.

  • White (WL), grey (GL) and black lists (BL) are issued by the Paris MoU on 01 July each year and shows the performance of flag state.

  • Deficiencies.

The deficiencies listed are the ones which were detainable. Further details of other deficiencies can be provided on request.

Ships detained in December 2020

Vessel Name: ESSENIYA

GT: 3170

IMO: 9194036

Flag: Russian Federation (white list)

Company: Transflot Ltd

Classification society: BV

Recognised organisation: BV

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: N/A

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 8th December 2020 at Ipswich

Summary: Twenty-eight deficiencies with four grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
10127 – Voyage or passage plan Not as required Yes
10135 – Monitoring of voyage or passage plan Not as required Yes
10111 - Charts Not updated Yes
07111 – Personal equipment for fire safety Inoperative Yes

This vessel was released on 16th December 2020

Vessel Name: ERDEK

GT: 5997

IMO: 9175767

Flag: Panama (white list)

Company: Hicri Ercili Denizcilik AS

Classification society: KRS

Recognised organisation: KRS

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: BV

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: KRS

Date and place of detention: 8th December 2020 at Purfleet

Summary: Twenty-four deficiencies with one ground for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
15150 - ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was released on 12th December 2020

Vessel Name: AYRESS

GT: 1713

IMO: 7816135

Flag: Dominica (unknown)

Company: Coast Lines Shipping Ltd

Classification society: International Naval Surveys Bureau

Recognised organisation: N/A

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: N/A

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: N/A

Date and place of detention: 10th December at Ayr

Summary: Twenty-nine deficiencies with six grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
03108 – Ventilation, air pipes, casings Corroded Yes
03108 – Ventilation, air pipes, casings Damaged Yes
02111 – Beams, frames, floors – corrosion corroded Yes
02107 – Ballast, fuel and other tanks Holed Yes
07103 – Divisions – decks, bulkheads and penetrations Not as required Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was released on 23rd December 2020

Vessel Name: SMARTA

GT: 9986

IMO: 9396567

Flag: Liberia (white list)

Company: Intresco Ltd - Uke

Classification society: KRS

Recognised organisation: KRS, RINA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: RINA

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: N/A

Date and place of detention: 22nd December at Southampton

Summary: Twenty-eight deficiencies with eight grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
10105 – Magnetic compass Not as required Yes
10104 – Gyro compass Inoperative Yes
07125 – Evaluation of crew performance (fire drills) Lack of training Yes
10101 – Pilot ladders and hoist/pilot transfer arrangements Damaged Yes
07105 Fire doors/openings in fire-resisting divisions Not as required Yes
14104 – Oil filtering equipment Not as required Yes
02101 – Closing devices/watertight doors Not as required Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was released on 25th December 2020

Detentions carried over from previous months

Vessel Name: SIRIUS 1

GT: 211

IMO: 8964161

Flag: Nigeria (Unknown)

Company: Ambrey Limited

Classification society: Phoenix Register of Shipping

Recognised organisation: Phoenix Register of Shipping

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: N/A

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: N/A

Date and place of detention: 7th November 2020 at Southampton

Summary: Eleven deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01213 – Evidence of basic training Expired Yes
01220 – Seafarers’ employment agreement (SEA) Not as required Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st December 2020

Vessel Name: SIRIUS 2

GT: 211

IMO: 8977699

Flag: Nigeria (Unknown)

Company: Ambrey Limited

Classification society: Phoenix Register of Shipping

Recognised organisation: Phoenix Register of Shipping

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: N/A

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: N/A

Date and place of detention: 12th November 2020 at Southampton

Summary: Twenty deficiencies with five grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
01329 – Report of inspection on MLC, 2006 Missing Yes
01804 – Electrical Unsafe Yes
01199 – Other (certificates) Other Yes
10126 – Record of drills and steering gear tests Not as required Yes
01326 – Stability information booklet Not approved Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st December 2020

Vessel Name: PACIFIC DAWN

GT: 56172

IMO: 9307140

Flag: Panama (white list)

Company: Synergy Maritime Pvt Ltd

Classification society: Lloyd’s Register

Recognised organisation: Lloyd’s Register

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: NKK

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: NKK

Date and place of detention: 27th November 2020 at Hull

Summary: Twenty-Two deficiencies with one ground for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was released on 11th December 2020

Vessel Name: LIVA GRETA

GT: 851

IMO: 8801072

Flag: Latvia (white list)

Company: Regulus SIA

Classification society: RINA

Recognised organisation: RINA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 11th January 2020 at Birkenhead

Summary: Nine deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
11113 – Launching arrangements for rescue boats Inoperative Yes
15150 - ISM Not as required Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st December 2020

Vessel Name: POSEIDON

GT: 1412

IMO: 7363217

Flag: Iceland (White list)

Company: Neptune EHF

Classification society: NA

Recognised organisation: NA

Recognised organisation for ISM Doc: DNV-GL

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: N/A (SMC issued by Flag)

Date and place of detention: 19th July 2018 at Hull

Summary: Ten deficiencies with two grounds for detention

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
02106 – Hull damage impairing seaworthiness Holed Yes
07113 – Fire Pumps Insufficient Pressure Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st December 2020

Vessel Name: TECOIL POLARIS

GT: 1814

IMO No: 8883290

Flag: Russian Federation (Grey list)

Company: Tecoil Shipping Ltd

Classification society: RMRS

Recognised organisation: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: RMRS

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: RMRS

Date and place of detention: 6th June 2018 at Immingham

Summary: Twenty-seven deficiencies with six grounds for detentions

Defective item Nature of defect Ground for Detention
10104 - Gyro compass Inoperative Yes
10127 – Voyage or passage plan Not as required Yes
15150 – ISM Not as required Yes
11104 - Rescue boats Not properly maintained Yes
11101 – Lifeboats Not ready for use Yes
01117 – International Oil Pollution Prevention (IOPP) Invalid Yes

This vessel was still detained on 31st December 2020

Vessel Name: CIEN PORCIENTO (General Cargo)

GT: 106.

IMO No: 8944446.

Flag: Unregistered.

Company: Open Window Inc.

Classification society: Unclassed.

Recognised organisation: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM DOC: Not applicable.

Recognised organisation for ISM SMC: Not applicable

Date and place of detention: 4 March 2010, Lowestoft

Summary: Thirty deficiencies including seven grounds for detention

This vessel was still detained on 31st December 2020

Notes to Editors

  • The MCA is a partner in the Sea Vision UK campaign to raise awareness and understanding of the sea and maritime activities. Sea Vision promotes the importance and economic value of the sector and works to highlight the exciting range of activities and career opportunities available to young people within the UK growing maritime sector.

  • Follow us on Twitter: @MCA_media

For further information please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency Press Office, on: +44 (0) 2380 329 401 Press releases and further information about the agency is available here.

Updates to this page

Published 14 January 2021