Bulk Carrier SPARROW Detained in Istanbul After PSC Inspection

The bulk carrier SPARROW was detained in the port of Istanbul following a Port State Control inspection conducted on 07 Jan 2026, according to a detention report issued under the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding (Med MOU). Inspectors recorded a total of 13 deficiencies aboard the vessel, of which six were classified as detainable, prompting authorities to hold the ship in port. The SPARROW is a Panama-flagged bulk carrier with a gross tonnage of 14,762 and bears IMO number 9154866. The vessel is managed under the ISM Code by MAJESTY NAVIGATION ENTERPRISES. Port State Control inspections are carried out to verify compliance with international safety, pollution prevention and crew welfare standards under conventions such as SOLAS, MARPOL and the ISM Code. Detentions are issued when deficiencies are deemed serious enough to pose a risk to the safety of the vessel, its crew, or the marine environment, and the ship is typically barred from sailing until the issues are rectified and verified by inspectors. No further details regarding the specific nature of the deficiencies or the vessel's current status have been disclosed. The case adds to the record of detentions logged under the Med MOU inspection regime for the period.