The Maritime Administration of Sierra Leone (hereafter Maritime Administration) has observed a notable increase in detentions of vessels calling at Italian ports.
In light of this situation and to safeguard all Sierra Leonean vessels, as well as the interests of the Flag, the Maritime Administration has implemented a mandatory Flag Safety Inspection program. This inspection will be conducted at the vessel’s previous port of call for all vessels intending to call at Italian ports, effective immediately until 31 December 2026.
Shipowners, Managers, and Operators shall be requested to provide timely notification to the Maritime Administration regarding any planned calls to Italian ports. Furthermore, they must submit the details of their appointed agents to facilitate the arrangement of the required Flag Safety Inspection.
Should the inspection results be unsatisfactory, the vessel will be prohibited from proceeding to its next port of call until all identified deficiencies have been rectified. Deficiencies will be considered rectified only upon receipt of a confirmation email from the Flag Administration.
The cost of these inspections will be borne by the Maritime Administration, with no additional charges to shipowners.
Failure to comply with these directives will result in a penalty of USD $20,000.00, to be imposed by the Maritime Administration.