T O K Y O M O U S E C R E TA R I AT
Ascend Shimbashi 8F
6-19-19, Shimbashi, Minato-ku
Tokyo 105-0004
Japan

Tel: +81-3-3433-0621
Fax: +81-3-3433-0624
E-mail: secretariat@tokyo-mou.org
Web site: www.tokyo-mou.org

PRESS RELEASE

30th Anniversary of the Tokyo MOU
The Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Asia-Pacific Region (TokyoMOU) celebrated its 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Memorandum and published thecommemorative booklet ’30 years of Tokyo MOU’ which has been uploaded on the website ofthe Tokyo MOU.
The Memorandum was adopted in Tokyo, Japan on 1 December 1993 by 18 maritime
Authorities in the Asia-Pacific region. The representatives from ILO, IMO and Paris MoU also
signed as Witness to the signatures. The Memorandum came into operation with 11Authorities in 1994. Since then, the number of member Authorities has doubled. On Monday,
31 October, Mexico was accepted as the 22nd member Authority of the Tokyo MOU. As for thenumber of inspections per year, it has increased by four times for 30 years. On the other hand,the detention rate has gradually decreased over the years which proves the effectiveness of theMemorandum. During the 30 years, ‘Casualty rate’, which is the number of casualties pernumber of ships call on ports in Asia-Pacific region, has also steadily decreased and shows thecorrelation with the detention rate. Over all these years, the Tokyo MOU has proven to be ofgreat value in eliminating substandard shipping in the region.
7 November 2023

Contact

Tokyo MOU Secretariat
Ascend Shimbashi 8F
6-19-19, Shimbashi
Minato-ku, TokyoJapan 105-0004
Telephone: +81-3-3433 0621
Facsimile: +81-3-3433 0624
E-mail: secretariat@tokyo-mou.org
Web-site: www.tokyo-mou.org

Notes to editors:* The Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control in the Asia-Pacific Region, known
as the Tokyo MOU, was signed among eighteen maritime Authorities in the region on 1December 1993 and came into operation on 1 April 1994. At present, Tokyo MOU consistsof 22 member Authorities: Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Fiji, Hong Kong (China),Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mexico (obtained fullmembership on 30 October 2023), New Zealand, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,Philippines, Russian Federation, Singapore, Thailand, Vanuatu and Viet Nam. Cambodia,
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Macao (China), Samoa, Solomon Islands,Tonga, the United States Coast Guard, the International Maritime Organization, theInternational Labour Organization and the Secretariats of the Abuja, the Black Sea, theCaribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, the Paris and the Riyadh Memoranda ofUnderstanding on Port State Control and the Viña del Mar Agreement are associated withthe Tokyo MOU as observers.
The Secretariat of the Memorandum is located in Tokyo, Japan. The PSC database system,
the Asia-Pacific Computerized Information System (APCIS), was established. The APCIS
center is located in Moscow, under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport of the RussianFederation.
Port State Control (PSC) is a check on visiting foreign ships to verify their compliance withinternational rules on safety, security, marine environment protection and seafarers livingand working conditions. It is a means of enforcing compliance in cases where the owner andflag State have failed in their responsibility to implement or ensure compliance. The port
State can require defects to be put right, and detain the ship for this purpose if necessary. It
is therefore also a port State’s defense against visiting substandard shipping and PSC is thesecond defense for ensuring safety, security, marine environment protection and seafarers
living and working conditions.