Mediterranean MOU: Regional Specificities
Thirteen member States from 2026, with France and Albania just joined: the Mediterranean PSC regime is expanding just as detentions record a 20% increase.
Operational Explanation
The Mediterranean MOU (Med MoU) is the Port State Control regime for the Mediterranean region, historically made up of coastal States such as Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey. During the 27th Session of the Med MoU Committee (21-23 October 2025, Kalkara, Malta), the accession of France was ratified, effective from 1 January 2026; Albania also joined in the same year, bringing the total number of member States to 13.
The Med MoU's annual report for 2024 recorded 5,993 inspections on 4,907 individual ships, with 196 detentions — a 20% increase on the previous year. Turkey (2,483 inspections) and Egypt (1,287 inspections) contributed the highest numbers of checks. The Med MoU also confirmed its participation in the 2025 Concentrated Inspection Campaign (CIC) on Ballast Water Management, conducted in coordination with other regional regimes.
Regulatory Reference
Mediterranean MOU (Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Mediterranean Region). Eleven maritime Authorities up to 2025: Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye. That is the list the 2024 annual report carries inside itself, and it must be kept distinct from today's.
Thirteen from 1 January 2026. France's accession was signed at the 27th Med MoU Committee Session (Kalkara, Malta, 21-23 October 2025) with effect from 1 January 2026. Albania has been a full member from the same date. Both now appear in the official Member States list published by the Med MoU, each with its own national focal point: that page, not the annual report, is the source to cite for the present composition.
The statistics quoted here concern 2024. The consulted Annual Reports page presents that edition: check new publications without presuming a fixed December publication schedule. Med MoU: Annual Reports.
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.
PSC powers do not depend on flag membership of the MoU. Consider conventions accepted by the port State, national law and no-more-favourable treatment for ships of non-Parties.
The Committee endorsed MARPOL Annex VI and the Hong Kong Convention as relevant instruments from 1 January 2026. It also announced adoption of the Paris MoU profile with a planned two-year transition from January 2027: do not treat the Paris profile as already automatically operational in Med MoU. Check THETIS-Med and current instructions. Med MoU: 27th Committee outcomes.
Scope of Application
Every ship calling at ports of Mediterranean MOU member States, including routes now including French Mediterranean ports following the new accession from 2026.
Procedure / How to Complete It
- Check the updated list of Med MoU member States, including the accession of France and Albania from 2026, for routes touching Mediterranean ports.
- Consult the most recent Med MoU annual report for detention statistics and the most frequent deficiency areas in the region.
- Check the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC notice and questionnaire and Authority instructions; the 2025 BWM CIC has ended.
- Assess counts and rates separately with year and denominator; do not infer stricter control or an individual inspection probability from the annual change alone.
- Coordinate general PSC preparation taking into account any procedural specificities of the Med MoU compared with the Paris MoU and Tokyo MOU.
Practical Example
Example: a Company operating container ships with regular port calls in Turkey and Egypt, the two Med MoU States with the highest number of inspections in 2024, reinforces PSC preparation on those specific routes, while also monitoring the extension of routes to the recently acceded French Mediterranean ports.
What Typically Goes Wrong
Common Mistakes Mistake Library
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Calling the 20% rise in the 2024 detention count a rate increase | Count and rate are confused | State 196 detentions, 5,993 inspections and the comparison in detention count separately |
| Ignoring Med MoU participation in the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC | Preparation is outdated during the campaign | Check local application, current notice and Cargo Securing questionnaire |
What the PSCO Checks
Operational Tips
- Check the current 13 members, including France and Albania from 1 January 2026.
- For the 2026 Cargo Securing CIC use the notice, questionnaire and port Authority instructions.
- Distinguish detention count, detention rate and possible causes.
Preparation checklist
Educational checklist. This summary supports learning and preparation only. It does not replace the vessel’s approved procedures, manuals, statutory documents, company SMS, or applicable official requirements. Completing it demonstrates neither compliance nor readiness for an inspection: it shows that a list has been read, not that the ship is in order. Always verify the current documents carried on board.
- Updated list of Med MoU member States checked, including the 2026 accession of France and Albania
- Most recent Med MoU annual report consulted for statistics and priority deficiency areas
- Med MoU CIC calendar checked, including any joint campaigns with other regimes
- Counts, rates and inconsistency in the 2023–2024 change distinguished in assessment
- General PSC documentation ready to standards applicable to the Med MoU regime
FAQ
Related Topics
Last substantive revision of this page: 15 September 2026 · page fingerprint df11d4cd14e0