Portuguese-flagged ships achieve the best performance at the European level

Portuguese-flagged commercial vessels registered in the Madeira International Ship Registry (MAR) have demonstrated outstanding performance in the 2024 Paris MoU inspections, emerging as the top-performing registry among those inspected by this international maritime organization.

This achievement results from a concerted effort between the Regional Government of Madeira, SDM, Euromar, and the MAR Technical Commission, contributing to reinforcing Portugal’s credibility, quality, and commitment to creating excellent conditions in maritime safety and environmental standards worldwide.

The latest 2024 (Q PSC) analysis shows that the Portuguese merchant fleet recorded a detention rate of 1.86%—with 14 detentions out of 754 inspections—representing a significant improvement compared to the 2.37% detention rate recorded in 2023. This is a remarkable indicator, considering that the global detention rate in 2024 was 4.02% (664 detentions from 16,507 inspections) across all inspected flags.

Additionally, the three-year detention rate (2022-2024) stood at 2.63%, comparing favorably with the 2.93% recorded in the previous three-year period (2021-2023). Overall, these results presented by the Paris MoU reflect a continuous and stable improvement in operational and quality standards applied to MAR.

From the perspective of the Regional Secretary for Finance, Rogério Gouveia, who recalls that “MAR also reached a historic milestone in December 2024 by registering 1,000 merchant vessels,” the data now presented by this global organization “underline the significant progress achieved within the Registry, the Regional Government’s commitment to valuing a sector of the economy such as this, as well as the success and growth driven by the joint efforts of various entities in the Region, the Country, and internationally.” “This work is recognized by international shipowners,” concludes the Regional Secretary.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of SDM’s Board of Directors highlights that “this achievement is a confirmation of our firm dedication and the cooperative spirit of all those involved in the Portuguese maritime sector.” Roy Garibaldi also emphasizes that “we are extremely proud of our fleet’s performance and remain committed to maintaining and enhancing the best environmental and safety practices.”

It is worth noting that Euromar, as SDM’s international partner, has been instrumental in these developments, working closely with SDM, the MAR Technical Commission, and the Regional Government of Madeira to implement and monitor initiatives that have significantly reduced ship detentions, thereby enhancing MAR’s attractiveness as a world-class flag of reference.

The exceptional performance of the Portuguese-flagged merchant fleet not only highlights its international reputation but also strengthens Portugal’s leadership within the European maritime community. This historic achievement lays a solid foundation for continuing the growth and global prominence of the Registry in the future.