Argentina is a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and signatory to the Latin American Agreement on Port State Control of Vessels (Viña del Mar, November 5th, 1992), which is one of the 10 regional Port State Control regimes currently in force.
For the purposes of exercising the Port State Control, the Argentine Maritime Authority (Prefectura Naval Argentina), in their capacity of Argentine Maritime Authority, verifies whether foreign vessels visiting Argentine ports comply with the so called “relevant instruments” under the Agreement and their respective amendments in force, which are the following:
- International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (LOAD LINES, 1966).
- Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (1988 SOLAS Protocol)
- International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS, 1974).
- Protocol of 1988 relating to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (1988 SOLAS Protocol).
- International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as amended by the Protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78).
- International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW, 1978).
- Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972. (COLREGs, 1972)
- International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships (Tonnage),
The provisions of the Viña del Mar Agreement have been effective in the country since 1993, and the surveillance of the observance of these is in charge of the Vessel Control Division (within the Prefectura Naval Argentina) which was created specifically for such purpose.
Currently, the Agreement is applicable at the Argentine ports of San Lorenzo, Rosario, Arroyo Seco, Villa Constitución, San Nicolás, Ramallo, San Pedro, Zárate, Campana, Buenos Aires, Dock Sud, La Plata, Mar del Plata, Quequén, Bahía Blanca, San Antonio Oeste, Puerto Madryn, Caleta Olivia, Comodoro Rivadavia, Puerto Deseado and Ushuaia.
Accordingly, the Argentine Maritime Authority, through Inspectors specially trained to do so, is empowered to conduct on board, inspections, check the validity of the pertinent certificates and documents, as well as the general condition of the vessel, her equipment and crew.
In case there are evident grounds for the Authority to consider that the vessel, her equipment, or crew do not substantially comply with the requirements of any of the pertinent instruments, a more detailed inspection may be carried out.
If the detected deficiencies pose a clear risk to safety in navigation or to the marine environment, the Maritime Authority shall ensure that the risk has been eliminated before authorizing the vessel to sail and, to that end, foreign vessels may be detained.