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PSC deficiency code 10116: Nautical publications

Area 10 Safety of navigation

Code 10116 covers the publications the bridge team needs to plan and run a voyage: sailing directions, lists of lights, radio signals, tide tables, Notices to Mariners and the rest. Inspectors check that the ship has them for its trading area, in current editions, and corrected.

What the inspector looks at

The check runs alongside the chart check and usually follows the same route: current and next port.

  • sailing directions, list of lights and list of radio signals covering the voyage
  • tide tables and tidal stream data for the current year
  • weekly Notices to Mariners received and corrections applied to the publications
  • current editions, not ones superseded by a newer issue
  • IAMSAR Manual Volume III and the International Code of Signals on board
  • electronic publications: accepted by the flag, licensed, updated, and available on the bridge
  • the publications list or catalogue kept by the navigating officer

Common findings

  • List of Lights not corrected up to date
  • Sailing directions for the intended voyage not on board
  • Tide tables for the current year not available
  • Superseded edition of List of Radio Signals in use
  • IAMSAR Manual Volume III not on board / outdated edition
  • Electronic publications licence expired, not accessible on the bridge
  • No record of corrections from Notices to Mariners

The rule behind it

SOLAS chapter V, regulation 27 requires nautical publications for the intended voyage to be adequate and up to date, and regulation 19 lists them alongside charts as part of the equipment for planning and monitoring the route. Regulation 21 requires the International Code of Signals and IAMSAR Manual Volume III. Flag States set which titles they expect and whether electronic versions are accepted.

Action codes you are likely to see

A missing or outdated publication needed for the next leg is usually 17, before departure. Correction gaps in a publication that's otherwise current often get 16 or 18. Publications alone rarely lead to detention, but they add weight when combined with uncorrected charts or a weak passage plan, and that combination can bring a 30. See action taken codes.

How to close it

Get the missing or new editions on board through the chart agent, or renew the e-publication licences and load them. Apply the outstanding corrections and record them. Keep the delivery note or licence confirmation, and show the corrected volumes on re-inspection. Update the publications catalogue so the next officer sees what's held and what edition. Put the evidence with the Form B.

Questions

Are electronic nautical publications accepted by PSC?

They are where the flag State accepts them and they are official, licensed and kept up to date. They also need to be available to the officer of the watch on the bridge.

Is a missing IAMSAR Manual Volume III a PSC deficiency?

Yes. SOLAS chapter V requires ships to carry an up-to-date copy of IAMSAR Volume III, so its absence or an obsolete edition is commonly recorded.

Which publications does a ship need to carry?

That depends on the voyage and the flag's own list, but expect sailing directions, lists of lights and radio signals, tide tables, Notices to Mariners, the Code of Signals and IAMSAR Volume III as a baseline.

Sources

Written by the SuperRonin team from the sources above. Last updated 27 Oct 2026. This page explains the rules; the regulation, the PSC officer and your flag and class have the final word. If something here doesn't match what you see on board, write to [email protected] and we'll correct it.

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