Proposal for a Ship Safety Control Act sent out for comments

The Ministry of Transport and Communications requests comments on the draft government proposal for revised Ship Safety Control Act. The new act would repeal the current Ship Safety Control Act and introduce national legislation implementing the ship safety control regulation of the European Union’s so-called Maritime Safety Package. Comments may be submitted until 24 April 2026.

The Ship Safety Control Act, originally enacted 30 years ago, requires revisions so that the structure of the Act, the regulatory entities and the authorisation provisions for lower-level statutes and regulations be clearer and more consistent than at present. The government proposal would re-enact the Ship Safety Control Act and amend the Act on the Enforcement of a Fine. 

The proposed act would specify the current provisions on inspections of ro-ro passenger ships and high-speed passenger craft and on port state control of foreign ships. New provisions would be introduced concerning flag state inspections. In addition, the act would implement the updated vessel safety regulation of the EU Maritime Safety Package. Another new set of provisions in the proposal concerns other vessel safety inspections, for example of ships in domestic transport and inspections related to environmental protection in maritime transport.

Legislative proposal to implement the updated EU ship safety regulation

The legislative proposal would implement the amendments to the Flag State Directive and the Port State Control Directive included in the EU Maritime Safety Package. The purpose of the Flag State Directive is to ensure that Member States discharge their obligations as flag states more effectively. The amendments to the Flag State Directive would mean new responsibilities to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.

The purpose of the Port State Control Directive is to improve the EU port state control regime by aligning it with other international regulations. The aim is to reduce the number of substandard vessels operating in waters under the jurisdiction of Member States.

Next steps 

Comments on the legislative proposal may be submitted at lausuntopalvelu.fi. The consultation period ends on 24 April 2026. The Ministry of Transport and Communications will take the feedback from the public consultation into account as it continues the law drafting.

The proposal is scheduled to be submitted to Parliament in autumn 2026. The amendments required by the Directives must be implemented nationally by 6 July 2027.

Inquiries:

Katja Viertävä, Senior Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 29 534 2612, [email protected]