Identification of Data Analysis Methods and Focus Trends in Port State Control Inspections: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Abstract

This literature review focuses on research related to Port State Control (PSC) inspections carried out on board ships, with a particular focus on areas of interest and data analysis methods adopted during research. The five steps involved in the literature review process include: (1) determining the research questions, (2) gathering works of literature for review, (3) conducting selection and screening based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, (4) analyzing the selected works of literature and ensuring the quality of the data, and (5) reporting the result of the literature review. Based on the comprehensive searches throughout various databases, the most high-impacted databases in sequence were Elsevier, Taylor & Francis Online, (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) MDPI, Springer, and others such as Emerald Insight, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. There were 2,023 articles published between 2018 and 2022 gathered during the initial search process, and the 41 final papers were ultimately selected for in-depth analysis after a selection process. The four main research focuses found from this literature review were (1) the selection of ships for PSC inspection, (2) the New Inspection Regime (NIR), (3) the identification of findings during PSC inspection, and (4) detention of ships under PSC inspection. From the literature review, 37% of the final selected articles focused on vessel selection, 33% noted the findings, 23% focused on vessel detention, and only 7% explored the New Inspection Regime (NIR). From the review, most articles used the Bayesian networks (BN) method for data analysis, followed by traditional analysis, Ideal Solution Similarity Order Priority Technique (TOPSIS), Hierarchical Analytical Process (AHP), Apriori Algorithm, and Gray Relational Analysis (GRA). This result could provide valuable information to professionals in the maritime industry, and this literature review signifies the importance of Port State Control (PSC) inspections in fostering the better development of the global maritime transportation system especially to ensure maritime safety.

Keywords

• detention
• flag state
• maritime safety
• port state control (psc)
• ship inspection