Bulk Carrier FLORA Detained in Kocaeli After Inspection

The bulk carrier FLORA (IMO 9180334) was detained following a Port State Control inspection carried out on 08 Dec 2025 at the port of Kocaeli under the Mediterranean Memorandum of Understanding (Med MOU) regime. Inspectors recorded a total of 26 deficiencies on board the vessel, of which six were classified as detainable, prompting authorities to hold the ship in port. The FLORA is a Belize-flagged bulk carrier with a gross tonnage of 14,951, managed under the ISM Code by Blue Marinos Ltd. Detentions under the Med MOU framework are issued when deficiencies are judged serious enough to pose a risk to the safety of the ship, its crew, or the environment, requiring rectification before the vessel is permitted to resume operations. No further details on the specific nature of the deficiencies or the vessel's release status have been disclosed. Port State Control inspections remain a key mechanism for enforcing international maritime safety standards, with regional MOUs such as the Med MOU coordinating inspection efforts among member states to identify substandard shipping. The case of the FLORA adds to the record of vessels flagged for non-compliance within the region during the inspection period.