The Panama Maritime Authority has updated Merchant Marine Notice 07/2021, providing a standard guide of facts in cases of theft and sexual assault onboard Panama-flagged ships, as well as guidance in case of natural death or homicide onboard.
Natural death
In case of a natural death onboard, the first step should be that the captain of the ship will send the post-mortem certificate of the passenger and / or crew member on board the ship and the corresponding report from the authorities of port of destination to the email [email protected], corresponding to the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority.
STEP 2. The Maritime Affairs Investigation Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority will verify and examine all the documentation sent by the captain of the ship and if it is in accordance with the requirements of the previous paragraph, it will forward it to the Resolutions and Inquiries Department through a detailed report.
STEP 3. The Resolutions and Inquiries Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine will examine the documentation received by the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department and if it is satisfactory, it will be included in the file of the ship, for the issuance at the request of the interested party, the applicable certification by the flag state.
Homicide or suicide
STEP 1. The Captain and / or the Ship Security Officer will report the incident and send all the documentation through the ship’s company format, to the email [email protected], corresponding to the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority.
STEP 2. Once the ship arrives at the port of destination, the Captain and / or Ship Security Officer will inform of the fact and will place the alleged perpetrator at the orders of the competent authorities of the country of destination (in case of homicide).
STEP 3. The Captain and / or the Ship Security Officer will inform the General Consulate of Panama in the country of destination of the fact, which in return, will coordinate with the competent authorities of the country of destination, on the procedure to follow related to the situation that happened onboard a Panama-flag ship.
STEP 4. Once the General Consulate of Panama has coordinated with the competent authorities of the country of destination, it will send an email to [email protected], corresponding to the Maritime Affairs Investigation Department of the General Directorate of Merchant Marine of the Panama Maritime Authority, all the documentation gained in such coordination.
