Ro-Ro Cargo Ship ROYA 1 Detained in Jeddah

The Sierra Leone-flagged ro-ro cargo ship ROYA 1 (IMO 7700427) was detained by port state control authorities in Jeddah on 03 Sep 2026, according to a detention report issued under the Riyadh MoU. The 4,038 gross tonnage vessel was held following an inspection carried out by port state control officers at the Saudi Arabian port. The report confirms the detention but does not specify the deficiencies that prompted the action or the number of outstanding issues to be rectified before release. The Riyadh MoU is one of several regional port state control regimes that monitor foreign-flagged vessels calling at member ports to ensure compliance with international maritime safety, security and environmental conventions. Detentions under such regimes typically occur when inspectors identify deficiencies serious enough to pose a risk to the safety of the ship, its crew, or the marine environment, requiring rectification before the vessel is permitted to sail. No further details have been released regarding the specific nature of the deficiencies found aboard ROYA 1 or a timeline for the vessel's release. Further updates are expected as the Riyadh MoU authorities in Jeddah continue to assess the vessel's condition.