Το εθνικό και διεθνές θεσμικό πλαίσιο της αξιοπλοΐας των πλοίων

Καναβού, Σοφία - Κυριακή Θ.

Master Thesis

Author

Καναβού, Σοφία - Κυριακή Θ.

Date

2013-06-07

Abstract

The 90% of global trade is carried by sea. In order to ensure that shipping industry works appropriately, it is important to be properly legislated and in compliance with the world trade's developments. At this point, it would be significant to underline the value of seaworthiness, meaning the fit condition of a vessel to traverse the seas. This term includes the physical seaworthiness, the human seaworthiness and the documents seaworthiness, in relation to the seaworthiness of the vessel. Equally important is the cargo - worthiness. Of course, there is a whole institutional framework which should be respected, in order for the seaworthiness to be promoted. There are three basic bodies which determine the adequacy of the vessels through different types of surveys. First of all, the Flag - State, which is the state under whose laws the vessel is registered or licensed, the Classification Society, which is a non-governmental organization that establishes and maintains technical standards for the construction and operation of ships and last and most important, the Port State Control, the inspection of foreign ships in other national ports by PSC officers for the purpose of verifying that the vessel is manned and operated in compliance with applicable international law. PSC works as a last safety net after the Flag - State and the Classification Society. However, even though the existence of a whole system that concerns about seaworthiness, its application is not always obvious.