The effectiveness of ship inspection is an important indicator of a nation’s maritime governance capability. According to the 2025 Port State Control Annual Report released by the Tokyo Memorandum of Understanding (Tokyo MoU), Taiwan achieved outstanding performance in flag state implementation, rising to 6th place globally on the “White List” among 64 evaluated countries and territories—the highest ranking in Taiwan’s history. Taiwan’s performance surpassed that of major maritime nations such as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, while also achieving the distinction of remaining on the White List for eight consecutive years. Through public-private collaboration, Taiwanese flagged vessels have furthermore achieved “zero detention” within the Tokyo MoU region for two consecutive years. With the latest rankings scheduled for release this May, Taiwan is expected to maintain its position on the White List for a ninth consecutive year, further establishing itself as a global benchmark in ship inspection and maritime governance. Taiwan’s port state control (PSC) regime has also been fully aligned with the Tokyo MoU inspection framework, with both inspection and detention rates significantly exceeding the average levels of Tokyo MoU member states. These achievements not only demonstrate that Taiwan’s ship inspection system is highly aligned with international standards, but also reflect the government’s firm commitment to safeguarding maritime safety and protecting the marine environment.
  Director General Hsieh-lung Yeh of the MPB stated that, to further strengthen the high-quality management of Taiwanese-flagged vessels, the MPB has in recent years collaborated with the CR Classification Society (CR) to promote a vessel quality enhancement program. The program implements targeted inspections for vessels operating in sensitive navigation areas and high-risk shipping routes. Through audits conducted under the International Safety Management (ISM) Code, shipping operators are guided to strengthen the professional competency training of seafarers. In addition, the CR has established a “real-time flag state support mechanism, including a 24-hour contact channel that provides immediate technical consultation and professional guidance to frontline crews whenever Taiwanese flagged vessels undergo overseas inspections.
  With regard to PSC operations overseeing the safety and pollution prevention compliance of foreign vessels entering Taiwan’s commercial ports, the MPB has fully adopted an internationally aligned risk-based inspection mechanism, enabling authorities to precisely target high-risk vessels for enhanced inspections. In 2025, Taiwan’s PSC inspection rate for individual vessels approached 19%, while the deficiency rate reached 61.3% and the detention rate reached 17.9%, displaying highly effective enforcement performance. Both the inspection and detention rates were significantly higher than the average levels among Tokyo MoU members, as well as those of neighboring jurisdictions including South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Canada, and Hong Kong. These figures show that Taiwan has become a regional leader in the screening and enforcement against “substandard ships,” effectively safeguarding the safety of Taiwan’s waters.
  For vessels flying the flags of high-risk, blacklisted nations on the Tokyo MoU Black List—including Mongolia, Cameroon, Tanzania, Togo, and Sierra Leone—the MPB has implemented stringent supervisory measures. Rigorous verification of Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking records and equipment data was conducted to prevent identity falsification. Statistics through the end of 2025 show that port calls by vessels registered under these Black List flags decreased by approximately 55% compared with the same period in 2024, signifying that the government’s strengthened regulatory measures have created a strong deterrent effect and successfully filtered substandard ships from entering Taiwan’s ports.
  The MPB emphasized that PSC serves as a critical line of defense for maritime safety and marine pollution prevention. Moving forward, the Bureau will continue optimizing its risk-based management framework, strengthening the professional competencies of seafarers, and elevating alignment with international maritime organization standards to consolidate Taiwan’s leading reputation within the international maritime governance system and achieve the goal of sound maritime governance.

Contact person: Section Chief Yu-hsin Huang of the Vessel Management Division
Tel.: 02-89782625