Equasis

Equasis is a publicly accessible, free-of-charge maritime information database supported by the European Commission and flag state administrations, providing safety-related information on commercial ships. It aggregates data from port state control authorities, classification societies, and other sources, displaying a vessel's inspection history, detention record, class status, flag state, and associated companies. It was established in 2000 with the aim of making substandard shipping more difficult by enabling charterers, insurers, and operators to access objective vessel information. For a ship operator or vetting inspector, Equasis serves as an important due diligence tool. Before fixing a vessel, a prudent charterer or shipper will check Equasis to review detention history and current class standing. A vessel with recent detentions or outstanding deficiencies will appear in the database and may be rejected on vetting grounds, with commercial consequences for the operator. For seafarers, the existence of Equasis reinforces the importance of maintaining consistent compliance across all port calls. Because inspection data is visible to the entire industry, a single detention is not merely a regulatory setback but a permanent commercial record. Officers joining a new vessel are advised to check its Equasis profile as part of pre-joining due diligence to understand the ship's recent compliance history and any patterns of recurring deficiencies.