Panama Maritime Authority issued a Merchant Marine Notice to inform all those vessels of Panamanian Registry that deliberately turning off the Long Range Identification and Tracking Equipment (LRIT) or the Automatic Identification System (AIS) will be issued with sanctions.
The Panama Ship Registry will launch the ‘Electronic Ship Registration System (ESRS)’, a platform that will simplify the process of ship registration, consisting of Panama Maritime Authority’s General Directorate of Merchant Marine (Ship Registry) and General Directorate of Public Property registry of Ships (ownership titles and mortgage registration).
The Panama Canal Authority announced on July 25 the increase to the maximum authorised draft for Neopanamax vessels sailing through the Panama Canal, due to recent rainfall that impacted the area. The maximum authorized draft allowed for vessels transiting the Neopanamax locks will be 13.72 m (45.0 feet) TFW.
Panama has welcomed the use of guidelines for the use of electronic certificates adopted by the IMO Facilitation Committee, and issued a List of Certificates, as well as a list of Recognized Organizations authorized on the issuance of Electronic Certificates.
Amid an ongoing diplomatic tension globally, Panama said it will withdraw its flag from vessels that violate sanctions and international legislation, the Panama Maritime Authority told Reuters. This comes following removal of about 60 ships linked to Iran and Syria from the Panamanian registry in recent months.
As Reuters reports, Panama’s Maritime Authority that after Grace 1 was seized by British Royal Marines in Gibraltar, they de-listed it from Panama’s international boat registry as of May 29. The Panamanian Authority highlighted that Grace 1 was de-listed after receiving an alert indicating that the ship had participated in or was linked to terrorism financing.
From 1st April 2018, all companies operators and ROs acting o behalf of the Panama Maritime Administration must follow certain procedures to conduct verification audit process. This aims to ensure the correct implementation and certification of the ISPS Code on board Panamanian flagged ships, operating in international waters.
The Panama Maritime Authority issued a Circular to alert Shipowners, operators, masters, companies of Panamanian flagged vessels to implement the security measures needed to prevent stowaways from entering, either at sea or on arrival. When a stowaway is discovered, it reflects that the vessel failed to implement its Ship Security Plan.
As AP reports, Japan surpassed China and is becoming the second-biggest user of the Panama Canal, in light of a trade war between Beijing and Washington. The US remains the leader in using the canal. China’s third place is due to the fact that there’s a decrease in shipments of natural and liquid petroleum gas as the Asian giant is buying less of them from the United States.
SAFETY4SEA, in collaboration with SHIPPINGInsight, is pleased to announce that Panama Maritime Authority has received the 2019 Hellenic American Maritime Centre Award, sponsored by HudsonAnalytix, at a gala dinner and award ceremony which successfully concluded on May 29th at Megaron Athens, The Banqueting Hall, the evening on day one of the inaugural Hellenic American Maritime Forum, in Athens.
