Indian Ocean MOU: Regional Specificities
Ended campaigns remain historical and applicable instruments depend on the IOMOU list, ratification or acceptance by each Authority and national law.
Operational Explanation
The 2025 Ballast Water Management CIC has ended and its results are historical. BWM compliance remains permanent, but an ended campaign does not itself prove enhanced targeting in 2026. Authorities exercise PSC under instruments in force and accepted by the port State and applicable national bases.
Regulatory Reference
The Indian Ocean MOU coordinates regional control, targeting and reporting. Do not presume identical instrument lists or ratification in every member State. For each call distinguish applicable conventions, regional procedures and national law; the 2025 BWM campaign alone does not establish 2026 priorities.
Where the power to come on board comes from. Not from the Memorandum. A regional MoU is an administrative arrangement between Administrations: it harmonises how inspections are done, it does not create the right to inspect. That right sits in the control articles of the Conventions, which resolution A.1206(34) — Procedures for Port State Control, 2025 — lists one by one at its paragraph 1.4. For SOLAS there are four regulations, not one: I/19, IX/6.2 (ISM), XI-1/4 and XI-2/9 (ISPS). For MARPOL, Articles 5 and 6 plus one provision per Annex: reg. 11 of Annex I, reg. 16.9 of II, reg. 9 of III, reg. 14 of IV, reg. 9 of V and reg. 10 of VI. The “reg. 9 of III” surprises anyone who opens Annex III in the text adopted by res. MEPC.193(61), where port State control on operational requirements is Regulation 8: res. MEPC.246(66), in force from 1 January 2016, inserted a new Regulation 1 “Definitions” into it and provided that “the subsequent regulations are renumbered accordingly”. Since 2016 that provision has been Regulation 9, and that is the number A.1206(34) carries. Then Article 21 of the Load Lines Convention 1966 as modified by the 1988 Protocol, Article X of STCW, Article 12 of TONNAGE 1969, Article 11 of AFS 2001 and Article 9 of BWM 2004. For the MLC, an ILO and not an IMO instrument, the basis is Regulation 5.2.1 with Standard A5.2.1.
Flag membership of the MoU does not determine control powers. Check instruments in force and accepted by the port State and national bases; no-more-favourable treatment also concerns ships of non-Parties. IMO A.1206(34), §§1.2–1.5.
The IOMOU regional notice confirms the CIC on cargo securing of cargo units and cargo transport units from 1 September to 30 November 2026, alongside routine PSC inspections. Within available resources it covers as many ships as possible that are required to carry a Cargo Securing Manual and carry cargo units or cargo transport units. A ship is subject to only one inspection under this CIC during the campaign. PSCOs use the Paris/Tokyo questionnaire of 12 questions. Prepare the approved manual, securing arrangements and equipment, and the crew’s operational knowledge. Deficiencies may lead to rectification or detention according to their seriousness. Source: IOMOU — CIC press release, 3 August 2026.
IOCIS is IOMOU’s regional PSC information system. Consult regional profiles and reports and identify the port Authority; do not automatically import priorities from THETIS or APCIS. IOMOU: IOCIS and regional resources.
For an appeal against detention, use the official national procedure of the port State. The IOMOU page identifies the company or its representative as entitled to appeal and requires the master to be informed of that right; it does not establish a single regional filing deadline. IOMOU — National Appeal Procedure.
Scope of Application
Ships calling at ports of Indian Ocean MOU member States, a broad geographic area spanning major commercial routes between East Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and Australia.
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Check the Indian Ocean MoU current calendar and circulars.
- Separate permanent obligation from temporary campaign.
- Use 2025 results as history, not a current targeting notice.
- Prepare for the applicable 2026 CIC from the current notice and questionnaire.
Practical Example
Example: before a call check the competent Authority, regional profile, current notices and ship requirements. The Annual Report describes a past period: it does not replace a targeting notice or the current campaign questionnaire.
What Typically Goes Wrong
The IOMOU Committee press release dated 1 September 2026 reports 5,958 inspections and 261 detentions (4.38%) for 2025. These are historical outcomes, not proof of the cause of any change in inspection activity. The 2025 BWM CIC ran from 1 September to 30 November 2025 and is closed; continuing BWM compliance remains separate from the 2026 cargo securing campaign. IOMOU — 29th Committee Meeting press release.
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Transferring another MoU’s profiles or priorities to IOMOU | Preparation is not calibrated to the competent Authority | Check State, accepted instruments, national law and IOMOU publications |
| Using the 2025 BWM CIC as an enhanced priority in 2026 | A historical campaign is presented as current targeting | Maintain BWM compliance and separately verify any published 2026 campaign |
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Check Authority, applicable instruments and regional procedure for each call.
- Consult current IOMOU publications.
- Keep permanent BWM compliance separate from the ended 2025 CIC.
Preparation checklist
- Current calendar checked
- 2025 CIC labelled historical
- BWM retained as permanent duty
- 2026 CIC checked against current source
FAQ
Related Topics
Last substantive revision of this page: 16 September 2026 · page fingerprint 7099ef68af0c