How VesselScore Works
VesselScore produces an independent risk assessment for commercial vessels, drawing on public regulatory records rather than self-reported data. Each vessel starts from a 100-point baseline; penalty points are deducted across 11 components based on the vessel's inspection record, ownership history, operational behaviour, and regulatory status. The resulting score is calibrated against observed detention rates.
The 11 Scoring Components
PSC detention history and deficiency rates are the heaviest-weighted factors, followed by the age baseline and management stability. The model is a logistic regression trained on five years of historical inspection outcomes, achieving an AUC of 0.74 on held-out test data.
1. PSC deficiency rate
How often deficiencies are found relative to the number of inspections over the most recent 24 months. Vessels inspected more often with fewer findings score better. This is the heaviest-weighted factor in the model.
2. Detentions (5 year)
Port state control detentions in the last five years. Any detention is a significant negative signal; multiple detentions compound the penalty substantially.
3. Deficiency severity mix
Weighs the seriousness of recorded deficiencies. Structural, safety-critical, and ISM failures carry heavier penalties than minor or administrative findings.
4. Manager and owner churn
Frequency of changes to the registered owner, DOC holder, or ship manager. Rapid turnover can indicate attempts to distance a vessel from its operating history.
5. Flag history
Evaluates the vessel's flag state record against Paris, Tokyo, and other MoU performance tables. Flags on grey or black lists, or frequent flag changes, reduce the score.
6. Age and type baseline
Adjusts for the vessel's age relative to others of the same type. Older vessels start from a lower baseline, reflecting increased structural and mechanical risk.
7. Fuel intensity vs peers
Compares reported fuel consumption per unit of transport work against vessels of similar size and type. Higher-than-expected intensity may indicate poor maintenance or operational inefficiency.
8. Hull condition
Estimates hull fouling based on time since last drydocking or cleaning event. Longer intervals increase the likelihood of degraded hydrodynamic performance.
9. AIS behaviour
Flags unexplained gaps in AIS transmission and patterns consistent with ship-to-ship transfers. Both can indicate sanctions evasion or unreported activity.
10. Sanctions and ownership screen
Screens the vessel, registered owner, and ship manager against OFAC, EU, and UK sanctions lists. A match triggers a hard flag rather than a points deduction.
11. Casualty and incident record
Checks for serious casualties, losses, or incidents recorded against the vessel. Events involving structural failure, pollution, or loss of life carry the heaviest weight.
Limitations
- The scoring model was trained on five years of historical data. It performs best on vessel types well-represented in the training set (bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, general cargo). Specialised vessel types with fewer observations have wider confidence intervals.
- VesselScore is an independent analytical tool. It is not a classification society and does not certify vessels. Scores should be used as one input among many in a due diligence process.
Try VesselScore
Generate a full due diligence report on any commercial vessel in the world fleet. Covers sanctions, PSC history, ownership, valuation, emissions, and more.
Request access