22 SOLAS regulation
XI-2/9.2.5 allows inspection of a ship, if the ship is in the
territorial sea of the Contracting Government the port of which the
ship intends to enter. Clarification was sought from the Committee
on the circumstances in which an inspection could be initiated under
SOLAS regulation XI-2/9.2.5.3.
23 With regard to the inspection envisaged by
SOLAS regulation XI-2/9.2.5.3 the
Committee, bearing in mind the requirement for “clear grounds”
in regulation XI-2/9.2.4, agreed
that this kind of inspection would be expected to be undertaken normally
when there was information / intelligence, usually received before
arrival of the ship, suggesting that there were “clear grounds”
for suspecting that the ship was not in compliance with the provisions
or posed a threat to the port facility.
24 Contracting Governments are considered to have
the right to carry out inspections of ships, intending to enter their
ports, to search for possible suspicious persons, such as terrorists,
on board. The inspections would be carried out within the scope of
the SOLAS Convention.