Sierra Leone Maritime Registry nears Paris MoU White List After Record Flag State Performance
The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMARAD) has achieved its strongest performance to date in the latest Paris Memorandum of Understanding (Paris MoU) Flag Performance List, bringing the country’s ship registry significantly closer to earning coveted White List status. The updated rankings, based on Port State Control (PSC) inspections and detentions conducted during the 2023–2025 assessment period, officially came into effect on 1 July 2026.
The Paris MoU White, Grey and Black Lists are widely regarded as one of the shipping industry’s most influential measures of Flag State performance. Compiled using a rolling three-year record of vessel inspections and detentions across the Paris MoU region, the rankings serve as an important benchmark for shipowners, fleet managers, charterers, insurers and maritime stakeholders when evaluating vessel quality, regulatory compliance and flag administration standards.
According to the latest assessment, vessels flying the Sierra Leone Flag underwent 172 Port State Control inspections, with only 10 detentions recorded during the review period. This resulted in an Excess Factor of 0.33, reflecting continued improvements in fleet quality, regulatory oversight and compliance with international maritime safety standards.
The latest figures also show measurable progress compared with the previous assessment cycle. While maintaining a similar number of inspections, Sierra Leone succeeded in reducing vessel detentions, moving its registry closer to the prestigious White List.
The improved performance places the Sierra Leone registry ahead of several long-established registries currently listed on the Paris MoU Grey List, including Thailand, the Philippines, Egypt, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Under the Paris MoU assessment methodology, a reduction of only four additional detentions during the three-year evaluation period would have been sufficient to secure White List status, underscoring the significant progress achieved by the administration.
“Improving Port State Control performance is not something that happens overnight,” said Alexandros Stylianou, Technical Manager of SLMARAD. “It requires consistent technical oversight, disciplined fleet management and a long-term commitment to quality. These results demonstrate that the measures we have introduced are delivering measurable improvements and reinforcing confidence in the Sierra Leone Flag.”
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Over recent years, SLMARAD has expanded its technical oversight by strengthening fleet monitoring, improving compliance verification and maintaining a strong emphasis on quality assurance. These initiatives form part of the administration’s long-term strategy to enhance fleet performance while providing shipowners with responsive and professionally managed Flag State services.
A Business Development Manager at SLMARAD said the administration’s objective extends beyond improving rankings.
“While we are proud of this milestone, our ambition extends beyond improving our ranking. Our objective is to provide shipowners with a reliable, efficient flag administration that supports safe operations and full compliance with international maritime regulations. We will continue building on this momentum as we work towards achieving White List status.”
The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration is responsible for registering and regulating vessels flying the Sierra Leone Flag. The administration promotes compliance with international maritime conventions while supporting safe, secure and environmentally responsible shipping through professional Flag State services, technical oversight and continuous improvements in regulatory performance.
