The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMARAD) has achieved its best performance yet in the latest Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU) Flag Performance List, bringing the Sierra Leone Registry closer to White List status. The rankings, which took effect on 1 July 2026, are based on Port State Control inspections and detentions recorded between 2023 and 2025.
The Paris MoU White, Grey and Black Lists are widely used to measure the performance of flag states. The rankings assess flag administrations based on their safety and compliance records using inspection and detention data collected across the Paris MoU region over a rolling three-year period. Shipowners, managers, charterers and insurers rely on these rankings to evaluate fleet quality and the effectiveness of regulatory oversight.
During the 2023 to 2025 assessment period, ships flying the Sierra Leone flag underwent 172 port state control inspections, with only 10 detentions recorded. This resulted in an excess factor of 0.33, reflecting stronger fleet quality, improved regulatory oversight and better compliance with international standards.
Compared with the previous assessment period, Sierra Leone reduced the number of vessel detentions while maintaining a similar level of inspections. This improvement has moved the Registry closer to achieving White List status.
The latest rankings place Sierra Leone ahead of several long-established registries on the Paris MoU Grey List, including Thailand, the Philippines, Egypt and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Under the Paris MoU assessment system, reducing four more detentions over the three-year period would have been enough to secure a place on the White List, showing how far the Registry has progressed.
“Improving Port State Control performance takes time,” said Mr Alexandros Stylianou, Technical Manager of SLMARAD. “It requires consistent technical oversight, strong fleet management and a long-term commitment to quality. These results show that the measures we have introduced are improving performance and strengthening confidence in the Sierra Leone flag.”
In recent years, SLMARAD has strengthened its technical oversight by improving fleet monitoring, enhancing compliance checks and maintaining its focus on quality. These efforts support the administration’s broader strategy to improve fleet performance while providing shipowners with responsive and professional flag administration services.
“While we are pleased with this achievement, our goal goes beyond improving our ranking,” said SLMARAD’s Business Development Manager. “We want to provide shipowners with a dependable and efficient flag administration that supports safe operations and full compliance with international maritime regulations. We will continue building on this progress as we work towards White List status.”
The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration oversees the registration and regulation of ships flying the Sierra Leone flag. It promotes compliance with international maritime conventions while supporting safe, secure and environmentally responsible shipping through professional flag state services and technical oversight.
source: maritimafrica.com
African Maritime Council