PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY

PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY
NEWSLETTER
vol. 1 N° 1 April 2008
A MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR
list of contents
A message from the Administrator
Panama Register: A tradition of excellence
Panama participates at Sea Japan 2008
Panama goes 24/7 2
Maritime legislation reforms to benefit
customers
Panama and Canada to develop
maritime cooperation
Cargo volume increased by 32%
in Panamanian ports
PSA International to build container
port in Panama
AAPA to hold Latin American meeting in
Panama
Panama Maritime Authority meets
Classification Societies 4
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We are pleased to introduce the first edition of the
Panamanian Vessels Registry Newsletter. Through
the Panama Maritime Authority, we wish to establish
a liaison with our users, carry an update on progress,
plans, statistics and events in which our industry actively
participates.
The Panamanian Vessel registry has mantained its
World Leadership in vessels registry. Proof of this
is shown by the Secretary general of IMO, Efthimios
Mitropoulos, when expressed in the framework of
Panama Maritime VIII: “As a pioneer of the concept
in Open Ship Registry, Panama was the guiding force
of change in the structure of the maritime industry,
which has accelerated globalization of the industry,
among other purposes and has seafaring, as a source of
employment and income for hundreds of thousands of
people in developing countries.”
Our Registry has a proven recognized background, wide
reputation and is one of the most safe and reliable. It
is endorsed by the international financial community
and has more than 60 consulates around the world with
regional offices in New York, London and the Philippines.
It is supported by a group of highly experienced maritime
lawyers, who handle the international maritime language
and possess mechanisms to serve as an effective liaison
with the Panamanian Maritime Administration,
recognized organizations (ROs) and the shipping
community. According to digits of the Lloyd’s Register,
the Panamanian fleet bears the first place sustaining
7,605 vessels of over 168M gt, therefore maintaining
leadership around the
globe, of the merchant
fleet.
Another pivotal
achievement of the
Panamanian registry
is the recent opening
of the Panama
Maritime Safety
Office (SEGUMAR,
for its acronym in
Spanish), functioning
on a yearly basis
24/7, as part of the
modernization and
automation being brought forth by the institution, in order
to offer a much better service upon our users to expedite
their registry procedure. Panama, additionally to the
registering of ships, offers the users an array of services
such as, navigational patents, marine radio operator’s
permit, extensions and exemptions, special permits,
renovations, technical evaluations, flag inspections,
Port State Rector inspections and certifications. In
fulfillment to international agreements, we have
strengthened the accident investigations department, as
well as telecommunications.
We reiterate our compromise to continue offering a
service of excellence, treasuring your support and
confidence deposited over us for our register.
PANAMA REGISTER: A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE
Panama has maintained constant leadership
in the registration of vessels since it became
the world’s first largest merchant fleet
in 1993. Thanks to friendly registration
procedures, the Panama Register increased
by 5.87% during 2007 bringing the total fleet
to 7,605 vessels at December 2007, up from
7,183 a year ago growing by 8.38% to 168M
gt, up from 155M gt at December 2006.
The AMP’s Directorate of Merchant Marine
has set the goal of “increasing our figures by
10% in 2008 and reducing the age of the fleet
to 17 years, down from the present 19 years”,
says its director Alfonso Castillero. But the
most important “for us at the Registry is to
offer the best service to our customers and
improve our daily services”, he adds.
The registration of vessels, initiated in the
1917 by Law 63, has been constantly improved
by a series of financial incentives as well as
the implementation of all the international
conventions related to safety, pollution
and security. All major Class Societies and
members of IACs are authorized by Panama
to survey Panama-flagged vessels in order
to assure compliance with international
agreements and regulations in addition to
its worldwide network of Flag inspectors
who perform and carry out the Flag’s annual
inspection program.
In October 2007, Panama hosted the IMO’s
Legal Committee 93th session, the first
time that an IMO Committee meeting took
place in one of the Americas countries. The
Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) has
also requested an IMO Voluntary Audit
which is scheduled to take place during the
second semester of this year and for which
the AMP’s Directorate of Merchant Marine,
which has more than 60 Merchant Marine
consulates round the world and regional
centers in New York, London and Manila,
has taken important steps to upgrade its
services.
Telephone Exchange +507 501-5100 24/7 Segumar Panama Office: +507 501-5350
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PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY
NEWSLETTER
PANAMA PARTICIPATES AT SEA JAPAN 2008
The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP)
participated, for the first time, at Sea Japan
International Maritime Exhibition and
Conference held April 9-11 in Tokyo with
a substantial delegation headed by the
AMP Administrator Fernando Solorzano,
the Director of Merchant Marine Alfonso
Castillero and Panama’s Ambassador to
Japan, H.E Alfredo Martiz. They were
accompanied by Panama’s Chamber of
Shipping Vice President Santiago Torrijos
and several members of the Panama Maritime
Law Association (PMLA) who attended the
different conferences and exhibitions held at
the Tokyo Big Sight Exhibition Center.
The event, with 364 exhibitors from 25
countries and regions, drew over 17,000
visitors and was organized by CMP Business
Media. Sea Japan 2008 was supported by a
number of leading Japanese organizations
including the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure
and Transport; the Japanese Shipowners’
Association; the Shipbuilders’ Association
of Japan; Japan Ship Exporters’ Association;
Japan Marine Equipment Association and
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
Panama hosted the reception offered to Sea
Japan participants in the Hotel Le Meridien
Grand Pacific Tokyo’s Palais Royal lounge
which was decorated with Panamanian flags
and posters while the attendees were presented
with leaflets in English and Japanese and CD-
Rs on the Ship Registry.
Traditionally, the Japanese fleet has been
the largest customer of the Panamanian
Register, so “it was an excellent opportunity
to meet with the Shipowners’ Association
and various Japanese companies”, said AMP
Administrator Fernando Solorzano. During
meetings with Japanese Authorities, companies
and associations, the AMP Administrator
briefed them on the coming reforms to the
maritime legislation, future tax incentives
for shipowners and labor conventions. In
addition, Mr.Solorzano said that the AMP will
open a technical international office in Tokyo
in August of this year, with officials fluent
in Japanese that will serve as a link between
Japanese companies and Segumar-Panama. A
similar office will be opened in July in Greece
with Greek-speaking officials.
PANAMA GOES 24/7
The Panama Maritime Authority is now
offering access to the Bureau of Maritime
Safety (SEGUMAR) on a continued basis,
24 hours a day seven days a week (24/7) for
the users of the Panama Registry. SEGUMAR
services and offices, previously located in
New York, have been relocated in Panama, in
the new headquarters of the Panama Maritime
Authority.
However, SEGUMAR New York will
continue to attend technical inquiries from
the costumers’ area, act as liaison between the
General Directorate of Merchant Marine and
the customers of the geographical area, follow-
up on PSC detentions and the liaison with
PSC authorities of the geographical area, print
and deliver the Technical Certificates issued
and approved by the Segumar Panama Office
and receive the payments by Recognized
Organizations (ROs) related to the issuance of
statutory certificates.
SEGUMAR Panama Office is composed by 25
technicians (available 24/7), all fully bilingual
in English and Spanish who will receive all
consultations about authorizations, issuances
of certificates and will answer on the spot
to the queries. They will process requests
immediately.
The Duty Technical Supervisor can be reached
at: + 507-501 53 50, available on 24/7 basis,
for the specific functions required by the
customers. SEGUMAR can be contacted
at (tel) +507 501 5348, (e-mail) jortega@
segumar.com
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PanCanal Plaza Building, Albrook, Omar Torrijos Herrera Avenue, Panama, Republic of Panama

PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY
NEWSLETTER
MARITIME LEGISLATION REFORMS TO BENEFIT CUSTOMERS
The National Assembly has begun the
approval process of reforms to Bill 342 on
Merchant Marine which could be approved
into law during the next month.
The reforms which have been in the
making for some time have been consulted
with the Panama’s Chamber of Shipping,
the Panama Maritime Law Association
and have received support from the Inter
American Development Bank (IDB).
They include the modernization of
merchant marine laws, resolutions and
other legal matters and new incentives for
the ship registry. The reforms will improve
the Register competitiveness, implement
maritime safety and security and will
allow more flexible adaptation to the
international maritime industry ingoing
changes. There will be new tax incentives
for vessels registering as a group and
another on naval financing that will give
tax breaks to vessels registered under the
flag of Panama if the loan is burst and
managed from Panama as well as tax free
transactions.
The reforms will go along with a package
of reforms to the legislation on maritime
commerce (Bill 340) and a general
port law (Bill 341) that will govern the
administration of future national and
international port concessions.
CARGO VOLUME
INCREASES BY 32% IN
PANAMANIAN PORTS
Panama Maritime Authority (AMP)
Administrator Fernando Solorzano
announced that containerized cargo moved
in Panamanian ports grew by 32.2% in
2007 to 4,003,731 teus, compared to
3,027,562 teus in 2006. It was the first
time that cargo volume passed the record
figure of 4m teus.
Colon Container Terminal (CCT)
throughput grew by 14.9% to 705, 252
teus; Manzanillo International Terminal
(MIT) volume decreased by 3.9% to
1,279,903 teus; Panama Ports Co Balboa
cargo increased by 85.5% to 1,833,778
teus; Panama Ports Cristobal throughput
increased by 106.2% to 166,641 teus.
“The excellent performance of Panamanian
ports is mostly due to the expansion
carried out at all the terminals during the
past two years and by the constant growth
of transshipment business”, said AMP
Administrator, Fernando Solorzano.
PANAMA AND CANADA
TO DEVELOP MARITIME COOPERATION
The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) and
Canada’s Marine Transportation Board have
signed an accord to develop cooperation for
the investigation of maritime accidents.
Canada’s Marine Transportation Board and
Panama Maritime Authority’s Directorate of
Merchant Marine will investigate maritime
accidents in both countries and will cooperate
in providing human resources and laboratory
assistance.
Canada has the means to recreate accidents
and the necessary laboratories with which
investigators can probe or reject working
hypothesis through scientific analysis which
are a vital component of all investigations
in human life loss or contamination of the
environment, said AMP Director of Merchant
Marine Alfonso Castillero.
“This type of accord [between two countries]
is essential to support our investigations and
to help us draw lessons for the future which
could lead to improve the existing legislations”
added Mr. Castillero.
P.O. Box 0816-01548 Panama, Republic of Panama
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PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY
NEWSLETTER
PSA INTERNATIONAL TO
BUILD CONTAINER PORT IN
PANAMA
AAPA TO HOLD LATIN
AMERICAN MEETING IN
PANAMA
Panama’s National Assembly approved,
early April, the Contract-Law for the
construction by Port of Singapore Authority
(PSA) International of a container terminal
in the former Rodman Navy Base where
Parque Industrial Maritimo de Panama
(PIMPSA) operates a bunker facility.
PSA International plans to invest some
$150M to transform the terminal into a
facility with a 330m container and rollon-roll-off
berth that will be able to
handle about 450,000teus per year. The
construction is expected to begin within
the next months.
From June 17-21, Panama will host the American
Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) XVII
Congress of Latin American Ports under the
theme “How to prepare our ports according to the
global trend of maritime traffic”. The country’s
strategic location, the Panama Canal expansion
project and the highly successful transshipment
operation at terminals on both sites of the Isthmus
make of Panama the ideal location for that event.
Topics will include: Latin America’s role in global
container traffic, the benefits of the Panama
Canal expansion in international and regional
commerce, regional transshipment, port finance
and maritime training, amongst others.
The XVII Congress of Latin American ports
will be inaugurated by the President of Panama,
the Hon. Martin Torrijos jointly with Mr. Ken
O’Hollaren, Chairman of the AAPA Board,
on Tuesday evening June 18. On the next day,
Panama Maritime Authority Administrator, Mr.
Fernando Solorzano will address the attendees
during the first session, Wednesday morning
June 19.
For further information,
visit www.aapa-panama.com
contact us at, infoaapa@amp.gob.pa
PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY MEETS CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES
The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP)
held its fourth reunion with IACs and
ROs as part of its regular meetings with
classification societies. The workshop,
that took place in Panama City, Panama,
was inaugurated by AMP Administrator
Fernando Solorzano, with the participation
of Panama’s Ambassador to the UK and IMO
permanent mission, Ms. Liliana Fernandez,
Alfonso Castillero, Director of Merchant
Marine, Napoleon Smith from Segumar -
New York and representatives of 10 IACs and
16 Recognized Organizations (ROs).
Topics of the technical meetings [one day
with the IACs and the next day with the ROs]
addressed future Class audits and verification
on how IACs and ROs carry out their
responsibilities over the Panamanian fleet,
the adoption of IMO conventions, including
the implementation of SOLAS and Load lines
1988 protocols, the Antifouling Convention
and Marpol Annex VI, as well as the Flag
inspections, detentions and Port State Control,
amongst others. It is important to promote
mutual cooperation between the ROs, in
particular for the transfer of information
and to give them permanent feedbacks on
the IMO committees and subcommittees’
debates, and review ROs [IACs and non
IACs] performance on Very Serious / Serious
casualties and detentions, said AMP director
of Merchant Marine Alfonso Castillero.
Port State Control’s rules have to be ‘tightly’
implemented, said Mr. Castillero who added:
“The IMO Secretary General and IMO
members have made great effort to develop
the regulations with follow up procedures,
such as the PSC detention statistics, Audit
results and casualties already in place”. Last
September, Panama’s National Assembly
ratified Protocol 1988 which enters force in
September 2008 and “it was necessary for the
AMP to introduce the new norms to improve
safety standards on the vessels and establish
a direct line of communication with all the
Classification Societies,” said Mr. Castillero.
Panama Maritime Authority officials also
briefed Classification Societies and ROs
representatives on the modernization process
and digitalization of all AMP systems and
Consulates around the world, including the
digitalized seafarer identification (ID) to
be issued by the Directorate of Merchant
Marine. The ‘seafarer passport’ is to
incorporate 20 security features including
fingerprints, biometrics, digital photographs
and bearers signature making it impossible to
be duplicated or forged.
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