About Riyadh MOU

Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding is one of the international regional memorandums in the world. Its aim is to establish a system for Port State Control. Currently the memorandum consists of six members in which were established in June 2004 at a meeting held in Riyadh by 6 countries as follows: (United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, State of Qatar, State of Kuwait).

The memorandum was signed by the maritime departments under the patronage of the International Maritime Organization.

Since Riyadh MOUs establishment, the secretariat office was located in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the information center in Sultanate of Oman until 29 April 2007 where the committee during its fourth port State control meeting agreed to merge the secretariat and the information center in one office in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.

Upon to the Omani Royal Decree No. 24/2012 issued on 1 April 2012, a headquarters agreement was signed between the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the Secretariat of Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control.

Based on the minutes of the meeting of Their Highnesses and Excellencies Ministers of Transport and Telecommunications in their sixteenth meeting, which was held in the city of Riyadh, of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries on 26 September 2012, It was agreed that Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding would be legally, administratively, and financially independent from the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council.

Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding is one of the regional memorandums of understanding for Port State Control, through which inspection and control of foreign ships visiting national ports is organized in order to verify the extent to which these ships comply with international and local standards, in particular international agreements concerned with the safety of navigation and the preservation of the marine environment.

The memorandum established a number of obligations on the maritime administrations of the countries that signed the agreement, namely:

• That each administration implement what was stated in the memorandum.
• Each maritime department should monitor foreign commercial ships visiting its ports and ensure that they meet all the standards and requirements stipulated in international agreements.
• Each maritime administration should work on a unified system for Port State Control.
• Cooperation and exchange of information on issues related to Port State Control.

Organizational elements of the Memorandum:

• Committee: The Port State Control Committee is the executive body established by the memorandum and includes representatives of the marine departments who signed the memorandum.
• The secretariat: works under the direction of the committee, prepares meetings, and provides assistance to enable the committee to continue its work. It also facilitates the exchange and provision of information, in addition to preparing reports whenever possible.
• Information Center: The results obtained from any inspection process in any country or port are entered on the website of the Riyadh Memorandum of Understanding (RIYADH Ship Information System (SIS) to enable any other maritime administration within the MoU to retrieve and benefit from them. Reports can also be issued from these results.
• The Maritime Inspector: The Maritime Inspector undertaking the task shall be suitably qualified and shall work under the command of his Maritime Administration , and shall be able to understand and interpret all the regulations contained in the relevant conventions.