Yan Ran, Mo Haoyu, Guo Xiaomeng, Yang Ying, Wang Shuaian
Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Australia.
Transp Policy (Oxf). 2022 Jul;123:82-103. doi: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2022.04.002. Epub 2022 Apr 19.
Maritime transport plays a key role in global trade. The safeguard of maritime transport is the Port State Control (PSC) inspection implemented all over the world. The outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2020 presents new and unprecedented impacts on global supply chains and the ports as well as the entire shipping industry. Various measures were adopted by the countries and regions to halt the spread of the pandemic, mainly by reducing face-to-face interactions. As PSC inspections involve getting onboard vessels and in-person communications between the inspectors and the crew, its procedure and results are highly likely to be influenced by the COVID-19. This study aims to explore whether, how, and why the global and regional PSC inspection statuses are influenced by the pandemic through analyzing real inspection data. Specifically, three general indicators, namely inspection number, average deficiency number per inspection, and detention rate, are considered. Moreover, a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the inspection data at the Hong Kong port is conducted, including the number of inspections conducted, the average deficiency number and detention rate, the types of inspections conducted and ships inspected, the detailed deficiency and detention conditions, the relationship between the local pandemic situation and the PSC inspection status, and regression analysis on the influencing factors on inspection outcome. It is found that the COVID-19 pandemic indeed has an impact on PSC. Meanwhile, pragmatic and flexible measures are adopted by the port states, and the PSC has always been acting as a 'safety net' to guarantee maritime safety, promote the marine environment, and protect the seafarers' rights even under the difficult times during the COVID-19 pandemic.
海上运输在全球贸易中发挥着关键作用。海上运输的保障是在全球范围内实施的港口国监督（PSC）检查。2020年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）的爆发给全球供应链、港口以及整个航运业带来了新的、前所未有的影响。各国和地区采取了各种措施来遏制疫情的传播，主要是通过减少面对面接触。由于PSC检查涉及登船以及检查人员与船员之间的面对面交流，其程序和结果极有可能受到COVID-19的影响。本研究旨在通过分析实际检查数据，探讨全球和区域PSC检查状况是否、如何以及为何受到疫情影响。具体而言，考虑了三个总体指标，即检查次数、每次检查的平均缺陷数和滞留率。此外，还对香港港口的检查数据进行了详细而全面的分析，包括检查次数、平均缺陷数和滞留率、进行的检查类型和被检查船舶、详细的缺陷和滞留情况、当地疫情形势与PSC检查状况之间的关系，以及对检查结果影响因素的回归分析。研究发现，COVID-19疫情确实对PSC产生了影响。同时，港口国采取了务实灵活的措施，即使在COVID-19疫情期间的困难时期，PSC一直充当着“安全网”，以保障海上安全、促进海洋环境并保护海员权利。
