Flag State Detention Rates
Port state control detention rates by flag state, based on official statistics published in the Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU annual reports. Rates are calculated over a rolling three-year window. Flags are ranked by Paris MoU detention rate.
League Table
| Paris MoU Rank | Flag | Paris MoU Rate | Paris List | Tokyo MoU Rate | Tokyo List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cayman Islands, UK | 0.0% | white | 0.7% | white |
| 2 |  Sweden | 0.3% | white | 4.7% | grey |
| 3 |  Norway | 1.3% | white | 1.8% | white |
| 4 |  Denmark | 1.3% | white | 2.3% | white |
| 5 |  Japan | 0.4% | white | 2.4% | white |
| 6 |  Singapore | 1.6% | white | 0.8% | white |
| 7 |  France | 0.7% | white | 2.4% | white |
| 8 |  Finland | 0.9% | white | — | — |
| 9 |  Netherlands | 1.8% | white | 6.4% | grey |
| 10 |  Luxembourg | 0.5% | white | 2.0% | grey |
| 11 |  Italy | 1.7% | white | 3.9% | grey |
| 12 |  Hong Kong (China) | 2.0% | white | 0.7% | white |
| 13 |  Germany | 1.8% | white | 1.2% | white |
| 14 |  Portugal | 2.6% | white | 3.2% | white |
| 15 |  Bahamas | 2.5% | white | 2.6% | white |
| 16 |  Malta | 2.8% | white | 3.0% | white |
| 17 | Isle of Man, UK | 1.7% | white | 1.4% | white |
| 18 | Bermuda, UK | 0.7% | white | 0.9% | white |
| 19 |  China | 1.7% | white | 0.4% | white |
| 20 |  United States | 0.7% | white | 3.4% | white |
| 21 |  Marshall Islands | 3.2% | white | 2.7% | white |
| 22 |  Cyprus | 3.0% | white | 4.0% | white |
| 23 |  Spain | 0.0% | white | — | — |
| 24 |  United Kingdom | 2.7% | white | 3.7% | white |
| 25 |  Greece | 2.8% | white | 2.4% | white |
| 26 |  Saudi Arabia | 0.0% | white | 0.0% | white |
| 27 |  Ireland | 0.0% | white | — | — |
| 28 | Gibraltar, UK | 2.4% | white | 2.6% | grey |
| 29 |  Liberia | 4.4% | white | 3.5% | white |
| 30 |  Croatia | 1.0% | white | 8.8% | grey |
| 31 |  Barbados | 4.1% | white | 7.1% | grey |
| 32 |  Turkey | 3.8% | white | 6.7% | grey |
| 33 |  Estonia | 1.1% | white | — | — |
| 34 | Jersey, UK | 0.0% | white | — | — |
| 35 |  Antigua and Barbuda | 5.4% | white | 5.3% | white |
| 36 |  Panama | 5.9% | white | 4.5% | white |
| 37 |  Faroe Islands | 3.6% | white | — | — |
| 38 |  Belgium | 3.0% | white | 2.8% | grey |
| 39 |  Poland | 0.0% | white | — | — |
| 40 |  Canada | 0.0% | white | — | — |
| 41 |  Korea, Republic of | 4.1% | grey | 1.3% | white |
| 42 |  Lithuania | 2.8% | grey | — | — |
| 43 |  Latvia | 4.6% | grey | — | — |
| 44 |  India | 2.2% | grey | 6.5% | grey |
| 45 |  Morocco | 2.3% | grey | — | — |
| 46 | San Marino | 4.0% | grey | — | — |
| 47 |  Algeria | 4.2% | grey | — | — |
| 48 |  Sierra Leone | 5.8% | grey | 13.6% | black |
| 49 |  Thailand | 4.5% | grey | 3.0% | white |
| 50 |  Russian Federation | 6.0% | grey | 5.1% | grey |
| 51 |  Lebanon | 5.7% | grey | — | — |
| 52 |  Philippines | 6.5% | grey | 2.0% | white |
| 53 |  Egypt | 7.9% | grey | — | — |
| 54 |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 7.8% | grey | 10.3% | grey |
| 55 |  Cook Islands | 8.8% | grey | 17.9% | black |
| 56 |  Albania | 10.4% | grey | — | — |
| 57 |  Bangladesh | 10.9% | grey | 7.5% | grey |
| 58 |  Tuvalu | 12.5% | grey | 3.8% | white |
| 59 |  Tunisia | 16.1% | grey | — | — |
| 60 |  Saint Kitts and Nevis | 11.3% | black | 26.1% | black |
| 61 |  Palau | 11.6% | black | 16.7% | black |
| 62 |  Togo | 13.1% | black | 21.0% | black |
| 63 |  Guinea-Bissau | 15.7% | black | 6.1% | grey |
| 64 |  Belize | 13.5% | black | 9.5% | black |
| 65 |  Vanuatu | 14.2% | black | 10.8% | grey |
| 66 |  Viet Nam | 20.5% | black | 3.9% | white |
| 67 |  Comoros | 23.2% | black | 14.5% | black |
| 68 | Tanzania, United Republic of | 28.8% | black | 20.4% | black |
| 69 |  Cameroon | 31.9% | black | 23.9% | black |
Flags Below Threshold
Flags with fewer than 30 inspections in the rolling three-year window. Detention counts are shown but no rate or rank is calculated.
Rates are from the 2025 Paris MoU and 2025 Tokyo MoU annual reports, calculated over a rolling 3-year (2023-2025).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a flag state detention rate?
A flag state detention rate is the percentage of port state control inspections of vessels registered under a particular flag that resulted in the vessel being detained. It is calculated over a rolling three-year window and published annually by the Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU.
What do the White, Grey, and Black lists mean?
The Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU classify flags into White (above-average performance), Grey (average), and Black (below-average) lists based on their detention rates over a rolling three-year window. Black-listed flags face more frequent and intensive inspections.
Why are Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU rates shown separately?
Paris MoU covers European and North Atlantic waters while Tokyo MoU covers the Asia-Pacific region. Each calculates detention rates from its own inspection data, so a flag's rate in one region may differ from the other. The rates are not directly comparable because the inspection regimes and fleet compositions differ.
What does the 30-inspection threshold mean?
Flags with fewer than 30 inspections in the rolling three-year window are excluded from the ranked league table. With very few inspections, a single detention can produce a misleadingly high rate. This threshold matches the practice used by the MoUs themselves.
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