Panama requirements on the implementation of US Pre-Ports arrival checklist

07 December 2020 |  C20050

Panama Maritime Authority has released MMC-381 with an aim to implement additional assessment requirements to decrease the detention numbers of vessels calling in the US ports that may subject to PSC inspections.

NOTICE TO
Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators | Surveyors / Auditors

The US Coast Guard (USCG) has implemented an initiative to identify high-quality ships and flags and provide incentives to encourage quality operations. This initiative is called QUALSHIP 21, and through this initiative high-quality vessels should be recognized and rewarded for their commitment to safety and quality.

Among Panama’s objectives is to be part of the QUALSHIP 21 program and obtain the associated benefits to Panama flagged vessels. For this reason, a checklist has drawn up, to assist Ship-Owners, operators, technical managers, Designated Persons Ashore (DPA) and vessel Master´s to find weak items that can results as a ground for detention through Port State Control Inspections by the USCG.

The checklist must be sent ninety-six hours (96hrs) before the vessel arrives to US ports, to the following email address: psc@amp.gob.pa. For voyages with lasts less than 96 hours (96hrs), the checklist must be sent at least twenty-four hours (24hrs) before arrival at port.

The checklist is compulsory for all the Panamanian vessels prior to arrivals US ports, and shall be signed by the vessel Masters and/or company Designated Persons Ashore (DPA). The omission of this requirement may lead to administrative sanctions for to the vessel Master, and/or Chief Engineer and/or to the vessel Company as well.

If an extraordinariness issues, such as equipment failures or any other situations that cannot be resolve on board of the vessel immediately; Ship-Owners, operators, technical managers, DPA or vessel´s Master, shall immediately coordinate the effective corrective actions, together with the vessel Recognized Organization (RO) and Segumar Offices. At the same time, the PSC Authority shall be informed as requested by SOLAS, Chapter I, Regulation 11 “Maintenance of conditions after survey”,

For more details regarding the USCG PSC targeting process, please refer to USCG – Targeting of Foreign Vessels for Port State Control (PSC) Examination – Serial CVC-WI-021(1) and the USCG PSC website.

Act now

Owners/ Managers/ Operators of Panama flagged vessels calling US ports should take into consideration above information, ensure the requirements of the US Checklist are enforced and the is submitted to PMA, as required.