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Quest Training

Maritime Administration: Flag & Port State Governance Training Course

Prepares maritime authority officials to govern flag state and port state duties: surveys, inspections, oversight of delegated bodies, and IMO audit readiness.

PMM · Port & Maritime ManagementAll Levels#3127ClassroomEnglish , Arabic
Duration
5 Days
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Free substitution at any time · 30+ days' notice: full refund minus 10%. Cancellation policy

Sectors:Procurement, Contracts & Supply ChainCategories:Port & Maritime Management

Course Overview

The Maritime Administration: Flag & Port State Governance Training Course equips officials in government maritime authorities with the governance knowledge needed to run a credible national maritime administration. A state that registers ships, receives foreign vessels, or borders busy waters takes on international duties that demand clear law, capable institutions, and consistent oversight. Across the Gulf and Africa, maritime administrations are working to strengthen these functions as fleets, ports, and offshore activity grow, and as international scrutiny of state performance increases. The course is built for government maritime bodies and looks at the administration as an institution rather than at the technical work of surveyors or inspectors. Participants examine the division of flag, port, and coastal state duties under UNCLOS; the role of the IMO, the ILO, and regional bodies; and the mandatory instruments that an administration must implement, including SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, the Load Lines and Tonnage Conventions, COLREG, and the Maritime Labor Convention. They study how to turn these instruments into national legislation, regulations, and working procedures. Flag state governance is covered through ship registration policy, the III Code, oversight of recognized organizations under the RO Code, casualty investigation under the Casualty Investigation Code, and evaluation of fleet performance. Port state governance is covered through the design of a national inspection program, inspector independence and integrity, detention decision governance, and participation in regional memoranda of understanding such as the Riyadh, Abuja, and Indian Ocean MoUs. IMO Member State Audit Scheme readiness, corrective action, and institutional capacity complete the scope. The course is delivered through case studies, gap analysis exercises, policy and procedure reviews, an audit simulation, and a final governance workshop. It addresses management and governance only and does not train surveyors or inspectors. Participants leave with a convention implementation matrix, a delegation oversight checklist, a port state program outline, an audit readiness checklist, and an institutional improvement plan they can adapt to their own administration.

Learning Objectives

  • Explain flag, port, and coastal state duties under UNCLOS and the main IMO and ILO instruments.
  • Assess the legal mandate, structure, and resources of a national maritime administration.
  • Develop a process for adopting and implementing conventions in national legislation.
  • Apply the III Code as a framework for managing flag state and port state responsibilities.
  • Evaluate ship registration policy and its implications for oversight capacity.
  • Govern the delegation of statutory work to recognized organizations under the RO Code.
  • Establish oversight of survey, inspection, and seafarer administration functions.
  • Organize independent casualty investigation and the use of its lessons.
  • Design a national port state control program and its link to regional memoranda.
  • Safeguard inspector independence, integrity, and consistency in detention decisions.
  • Prepare the administration for the IMO Member State Audit Scheme and corrective action.
  • Use fleet, casualty, and inspection data to set oversight priorities and allocate scarce resources.
  • Coordinate maritime functions between ministries, agencies, and international partners.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for directors and senior staff of maritime administrations, flag state and port state managers, heads of ship registration, marine safety and environment officials, seafarer affairs managers, legal and policy officers, and the managers who supervise surveyors and inspectors. It is equally relevant for officials in transport ministries, port authorities, coast guard services, marine casualty investigation bodies, environmental agencies, labor ministries, and foreign affairs departments who share responsibility for implementing maritime conventions or represent the state at international meetings. Professionals who support government maritime bodies, including legal drafters, institutional reform advisers, recognized organization liaison staff, and development program specializts working on maritime governance, will find the course directly applicable. It is particularly valuable for administrations preparing for an IMO audit, expanding a national ship register, joining or strengthening their role in a regional port state arrangement, and for officials newly appointed to leadership roles in a maritime authority.

Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
  • Explain how flag, port, and coastal state duties divide under international law and national mandates.
  • Assess whether an administration has the mandate, structure, and resources its duties require.
  • Build a convention implementation matrix linking instruments to law and procedure.
  • Apply the III Code to review how a state manages its maritime responsibilities.
  • Evaluate ship registration options against the real capacity to oversee a larger fleet.
  • Outline a delegation agreement and an oversight plan for recognized organizations.
  • Explain the safety purpose, independence, and reporting duties of marine casualty investigation.
  • Outline a national port state control program and its links to regional cooperation arrangements.
  • Put safeguards in place for inspector integrity and consistent detention decisions.
  • Use fleet, casualty, and inspection data to direct oversight priorities and allocate resources.
  • Prepare evidence and procedures for an IMO Member State Audit Scheme audit.
  • Develop an institutional improvement plan with owners, priorities, and capacity measures.

Course Outline

Course Outline:

Day 1

The Maritime Administration and the International Framework

  • Flag, port, and coastal state duties under UNCLOS and how they fit together
  • The roles of the IMO, the ILO, regional bodies, and national institutions in maritime governance
  • Mandatory instruments in overview: SOLAS, MARPOL, STCW, Load Lines, Tonnage, COLREG, and the Maritime Labor Convention
  • The legal mandate, organization, funding, and staffing of a national maritime administration
  • From ratification to action: adoption, national legislation, regulations, circulars, and working procedures
  • The tacit acceptance procedure and how a state keeps up with amendments to conventions
  • Coordination between ministries, port authorities, the coast guard, and other national agencies
  • Representing the state at IMO meetings and preparing national positions on proposed amendments
  • Practical application: participants build a convention implementation matrix for a national administration
Day 2

Flag State Governance and Ship Registration

  • The III Code: common areas, flag state duties, and continuous improvement
  • Ship registration policy: open and national registers, the genuine link, and oversight capacity
  • The statutory survey system and the role of the administration in setting and reviewing standards
  • Fleet performance: casualty records, port state results, and the use of data in oversight decisions
  • Seafarer administration under STCW: recognition, records, and oversight of maritime training institutions
  • Duties under the Maritime Labor Convention and cooperation with labor authorities
  • Enforcement powers, sanctions policy, and the treatment of non-compliant ships and companies
  • Register information, ownership transparency, and cooperation with other flag administrations
  • Practical application: participants assess the risks of expanding a ship register and propose safeguards
Day 3

Delegation, Recognized Organizations, and Casualty Investigation

  • Why administrations delegate and why responsibility remains with the state
  • The RO Code: selection criteria, written agreements, the scope of delegated work, and reporting
  • Monitoring recognized organizations: oversight audits, sampling, data review, and corrective requests
  • Governing exclusive and non-exclusive surveyors, including conflicts of interest
  • The Casualty Investigation Code: independence, safety purpose, and separation from blame
  • Reporting casualties to the IMO and sharing findings with the wider maritime community
  • Turning investigation lessons into national safety action and regulatory change
  • Practical application: participants draft a delegation agreement outline and an oversight checklist
Day 4

Port State Control and Regional Cooperation

  • The legal basis of port state control and IMO procedures that guide national programs
  • Designing a national program: ship selection, targeting, staffing, and geographic coverage
  • Regional memoranda of understanding: Riyadh, Abuja, Indian Ocean, and how members cooperate
  • Inspector competence requirements, independence, integrity safeguards, and code of conduct
  • Detention decision governance: consistency, documentation, appeals, and rectification follow-up
  • Data exchange through regional information systems and the IMO GISIS platform
  • Coastal state duties: vessel traffic services, aids to navigation, search and rescue, and wreck removal
  • Practical application: participants review a port state program and resolve a disputed detention scenario
Day 5

Audit Readiness and Institutional Development

  • The IMO Member State Audit Scheme: scope, process, and common findings
  • Self-assessment, gap analysis, evidence, and documented procedures
  • Corrective action plans and follow-up after an audit
  • Quality management in the administration, including ISO 9001 as a supporting framework
  • Capacity development: career paths, succession, technical cooperation, and donor programs
  • Management review: linking audit findings, casualty lessons, and fleet data to budget decisions
  • Stakeholder engagement with shipowners, ports, seafarer bodies, and regional partners
  • Governance risks in maritime authorities: conflicts of interest, integrity, and public reporting
  • Final workshop: participants develop an institutional improvement plan and audit readiness roadmap for a maritime administration

Upcoming Dates

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Dubai · 19 – 23 Sept 2027 · Classroom

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BerlinScheduled
2 – 6 Nov 2026€5,800—
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CairoScheduled
8 – 12 Nov 2026€3,300—
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Cape TownScheduled
16 – 20 Nov 2026€5,100—
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CasablancaScheduled
16 – 20 Nov 2026€4,300—
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DammamScheduled
22 – 26 Nov 2026€4,200€3,780until 2 Nov
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DohaScheduled
29 Nov – 3 Dec 2026€4,400€3,960until 9 Nov
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DubaiScheduled
6 – 10 Dec 2026€4,400€3,960until 16 Nov
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ErbilScheduled
6 – 10 Dec 2026€3,100€2,790until 16 Nov
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IstanbulScheduled
14 – 18 Dec 2026€4,700€4,230until 23 Nov
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JeddahScheduled
20 – 24 Dec 2026€4,200€3,780until 30 Nov
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KigaliScheduled
21 – 25 Dec 2026€5,100€4,590until 30 Nov
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Kuala LumpurScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,400€3,960until 7 Dec
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4 – 8 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 14 Dec
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LondonScheduled
4 – 8 Jan 2027€5,600€5,040until 14 Dec
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MadinahScheduled
11 – 15 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 21 Dec
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MadridScheduled
18 – 22 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 28 Dec
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18 – 22 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 28 Dec
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ManamaScheduled
25 – 29 Jan 2027€4,700€4,230until 4 Jan
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1 – 5 Feb 2027€5,300€4,770until 11 Jan
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OnlineScheduled
7 – 11 Feb 2027€1,700€1,530until 18 Jan
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ParisScheduled
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15 – 19 Feb 2027€4,300€3,870until 25 Jan
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AbujaScheduled
22 – 26 Feb 2027€5,100€4,590until 1 Feb
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SingaporeScheduled
22 – 26 Feb 2027€6,700€6,030until 1 Feb
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AccraScheduled
1 – 5 Mar 2027€5,100€4,590until 8 Feb
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AmmanScheduled
7 – 11 Mar 2027€3,100€2,790until 15 Feb
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AmsterdamScheduled
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15 – 19 Mar 2027€4,800€4,320until 22 Feb
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28 Mar – 1 Apr 2027€4,000€3,600until 8 Mar
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DubaiScheduled
19 – 23 Sept 2027€4,400€3,960until 30 Aug
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