RFI-ENGAGEMENT SERVICES FOR ... - Canal de PanamÃ¡

PANAMA CANAL AUTHORITY 

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 

RFI-ENGAGEMENT SERVICES FOR 

ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE 

PROGRAM AND IMPLEMENTATION 

ACP RENOVA Program 

October 2012

RFI-ENGAGEMENT SERVICES FOR ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM AND IMPLEMENTATION 

Contents 

1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 4 

1.1 Background ......................................................................................................... 4 

1.2 Purpose ............................................................................................................... 5 

2. RFI Description ............................................................................................................ 5 

2.1 Scope ................................................................................................................... 6 

2.2 Assumptions ........................................................................................................ 7 

2.3 Constraints .......................................................................................................... 8 

2.4 RFI Template ....................................................................................................... 9 

2.5 RFI Procedure .................................................................................................... 15 

3. ACP Current environment ......................................................................................... 16 

3.1 ACP VISION ........................................................................................................ 16 

3.2 ACP MISSION ..................................................................................................... 16 

3.3 Organizational Chart ......................................................................................... 17 

4. ACP Core Business Applications Architecture........................................................... 18 

4.1 Electronic Data Collection System (EDCS) ........................................................ 18 

4.2 Mobile Data Collection Application (MDCA) .................................................... 20 

4.3 Enhanced Vessel Traffic Management System (EVTMS) .................................. 21 

4.4 Customer Service Management System (CSMS) .............................................. 25 

4.5 Summary Table of Maritime Applications ........................................................ 27 

4.6 Maritime Systems Functional Module View ..................................................... 28 

4.7 Maritime Systems Technology View ................................................................. 31 

5. ACP Existing IT Infrastructure Architecture .............................................................. 32 

5.1 Operating System .............................................................................................. 32 

5.2 RDBMS Software ............................................................................................... 33 

5.3 Storage .............................................................................................................. 33 

5.4 Servers ............................................................................................................... 33 

5.5 Telecommunications ......................................................................................... 33 

5.6 Other Software ................................................................................................. 34 

6. SOA IT Readiness Assessment Results ...................................................................... 35 

6.1 Analysis of Results of the BPM/SOA Maturity Survey. ..................................... 35 

6.2 Maritime Core Business Applications Functionalities and Possible Services. .. 36 

6.3 SOA Reference Architecture ............................................................................. 38 

Non-binding RFI (Request for Information) 2 ACP RENOVA Program


6.4 Proposed SOA Roadmap. .................................................................................. 39 

7. Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations ............................................................... 41 

8. Annex ........................................................................................................................ 43 

8.1 Sample documentation for Service Contracts .................................................. 43 

8.2 Proposed Services List ....................................................................................... 48 

8.3 Maritime Business Process Overview ............................................................... 49 



1. 

1.1 BACKGROUND 

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is the autonomous entity of the Government of 

Panama responsible for the operation, administration, maintenance, and modernization 

of the Canal, following its transfer from the United States of America to the Republic of 

Panama on December 31, 1999. In the following years, the ACP was transformed into an 

organization focused on delivering results and profitability, resulting in significant 

investments in training, development and technology. 

Today, the Canal is presented with new challenges and opportunities, defined by a 

sustained increase in international trade and the greater demand for the Panama transit 

route where its information, electronics and telecommunication systems (IT) play an 

important role as it executes the expansion program that will provide a new third-set of 

locks, increasing the Canal´s capacity by 2015. 

The Canal’s IT infrastructure serves diverse business functions such as marine traffic, 

finance, human resources, energy and water utilities among others. The core maritime 

transit operations and related services are supported by Marine Traffic Control systems, 

locks machinery control systems, positioning systems, and telecommunication services. 

Some of these systems are commercial off the shelf (COTS), while others are developed 

in-house or outsourced based on different kinds of technologies. There is a need for 

these systems to share information through different means, but as new business 

requirements evolve, this has become more difficult to maintain. 

In order to achieve business agility while reliably supporting its current operation, the 

ACP is adopting an Enterprise Architecture approach for Business/IT alignment, and 

implementing a BPM/SOA Suite. ACP is looking for technological flexibility to modernize 

the way its systems are architected, designed and built to be ready when the expansion 

program and the new set of locks are completed. It is important for ACP to improve its 

technology capabilities in terms of agility, flexibility and resiliency to respond timely in 

enabling new business capabilities, developing new products and services, and other 

business innovations. This new way of doing IT must also be efficient, operational and 

maintainable for the information systems to achieve higher levels of integration and 

interoperability. Additionally, support for web-service and mobile technologies, 

security, multi-platform environments, and point-to-point integration will play a key role 

in this enterprise transformation. 

As a first initiative, ACP completed a four (4) months SOA IT Readiness Assessment and 

Roadmap to provide a better understanding of the current situation and, consequently, 



established the basis for the development of a phased SOA adoption and modernization 

plan to adapt software, people and processes to a service orientation by delivering 

early, measurable, and incremental business benefits while avoiding major disruptions. 

The ACP expanded the initial limited scope from SOA, and is currently carrying out an 

RFI to gather information regarding Enterprise Architecture (EA) adoption, the 

implementation of an EA Center of Excellence, and BPM/SOA analysis, design, build and 

implementation services. 

1.2 PURPOSE 

This Request for Information (RFI) has been issued for the purpose of gathering 

information on feasible services and alternatives to achieve the following objectives: 

1. Adopt EA in the Panama Canal including the establishment of an EA Center of 

Excellence that supports the EA practice 

2. Assessment and definition for core business processes using a “Top-Down” and 

“Middle-Out” approach 

3. Analysis, detailed design, development and implementation of business 

processes and BPM/SOA solutions pertaining transit requests, reservation 

management and pre-arrival assessments for the Canal´s maritime services 

(“Solution Project 1”). 

It is expected that interested parties provide general information as requested in section 

2.4. The information required, and all information exchanged herein shall be treated as 

confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person or entity and is only for internal 

use of ACP. The publication of this RFI does not represent a commitment to enter into a 

contract with participants, nor does it imply a decision to purchase nor does it 

constitute and obligation or commitment of any sort. 

The non-proprietary information collected through this RFI is of non-binding nature and 

could be used as input material to prepare an RFP to be published by ACP as a public bid 

within the next three months. 

2. 

In January 2012, the Canal hired third-party services to conduct a 4-month SOA IT 

Readiness Assessment in collaboration with its newly formed IT Transformation Team. 

This assessment was focused on a SOA adoption using a BOTTOM-UP approach where 

existing systems functionality was discovered and conceptual services were identified. 

However, in order to fully comply with the ACP business goals and strategy, it will be 



necessary a TOP-DOWN approach that will allow the understanding of the business 

point of view and that will allow closing the gap between existing systems functionality 

and the processes and services required. Additional information on this assessment and 

its results is provided in section 6 of this document. 

On June 2012, a Program Management team was established in order to extend the 

approach of the preceding SOA initiatives towards an integral, holistic, business-driven 

vision and program scope. The coordination team, namely RENOVA, is responsible for 

the adoption of Enterprise Architecture, the establishment of the EA CoE and the initial 

guidance of all EA efforts. It serves also as the coordinating Project Management Office 

(PMO) for the execution of projects to RENOVAte current processes and systems. 

The first milestone in this transformational effort is to procure a new comprehensive 

integration and development BPM/SOA platform. This new platform includes not only 

SOA components, but BPM, ECM, Governance tools among others. The platform is 

planned to be acquired through a bid-and-selection process between October and 

December 2012, and implemented in the development environment by February 2013. 

2.1 SCOPE 

The information requested in this RFI refers to goals/tasks that the ACP seeks to 

accomplish with its own workforce and guidance/support from external consultants 

Goal 

“EA Adoption and 

Establishment of CoE” 

“Top-Down” and 

“Middle-Out” 

assessment of core 

business processes 

“Solution Project 1” 

Description 

Conceptualize, develop and ensure adoption of 

Enterprise Architecture for the Panama Canal, 

including Business, Information, Application and 

Technology Architecture layers. 

Establish an EA Center of Excellence that ensures the 

sustainable usage of EA best practices and 

methodologies, and effective governance to satisfy 

business needs through agility and flexibility. 

Discover and analyze business processes with a ¨Top- 

Down¨ and “Middle-Out” approach to complete the 

BPM/SOA perspective, using the findings from the SOA 

Readiness Assessment (¨Bottom-Up¨ results). 

Design, build and implement business processes 

covering transit requests, reservation management 

and pre-arrival assessments for the Canal´s maritime 

services using BPM/SOA. 

Refer to Annex 8.3 for more information. 



Following is an illustration of the RFI scope in terms of the organization as described 

previously. 

2.2 ASSUMPTIONS 

At the beginning of the engagement, it is expected that the contractor will help the 

ACP to identify priorities, risks and other factors regarding the courses of action in: 

application integration, modernization, composite applications and new application 

development 

It is of utmost importance that the ACP develops the competencies and establishes 

the capabilities to use EA effectively to drive business and IT investments and to 

deliver solution implementation projects to the business while governing its 

architecture. For that matter, knowledge transfer is a key element of this 

engagement 

ACP will avoid the adoption of turn-key solutions to minimize the number and 

complexity of risks associated to the fact that these type of solutions do not allow 

effective knowledge transfer to maintain and extend their architectures 

It is expected that ACP resources will be responsible for value-added tasks. To 

minimize costs, other non-core tasks could be outsourced to software factories such 

as development for specific areas of the whole solution 

The work envisioned for the “Solution Project 1” shall make the most efficient use of 

the BPM/SOA platform components available for solution development at ACP 



The deliverables from the initial SOA assessment, including Ontology Model and 

conceptual services, are in Sparx System’s Enterprise Architect version 9.3. As ACP 

continues to grow its EA design and modeling software toolbox, other tools that are 

part of the ACP stack of tools may be used for these purposes 

Designs will be created in a single model of Sparx System’s Enterprise Architect tool 

or equivalent tool part of the ACP stack, without redundancy in its entire model. 

The methodology to be used will be described fully and comprehensibly to ACP 

personnel, and it may be adopted for new projects without generating additional 

costs to ACP in licensing or additional consultancy for implementation/maintenance 

of the methodology 

Strategy for knowledge-transfer must include workshops, one-on-one sessions as 

part of the on-the-job training, and a training plan as a means of formal 

development for ACP personnel. 

Travel Expenses shall be considered in the costs estimates. Indicate the expected 

travel expenses for each of the resources/roles described, and the number of trips 

required / expected for each. 

The services shall be provided through a company legally established in the Republic 

of Panama for the purposes of tax law compliance; otherwise, all payments will be 

subject to a tax retention of 30% until the company files a tax declaration 

All personnel assigned by the contractor must be properly certified and have 

verifiable experience, that is within the last two years, for the role they will play. 

Typical certifications include but are not limited to TOGAF and PMP based on role. 

All personnel must be proficient in reading and writing in English (Knowledge of 

Spanish is a plus but NOT necessary) 

2.3 CONSTRAINTS 

The work to be performed for ¨Solution Project 1¨ 

o Shall be based on TOGAF9 and OASIS, and must be built using at least the 

following BPM/ SOA layers: Presentation, Process, Rules, Services, Documents, 

and Components. 

o For the service layer, current functionalities, and conceptual services identified in 

the SOA Readiness Assessment shall be validated and used as input for this layer. 

o In addition to the functional requirements, the analysis and design shall cover 

non-functional requirements including usability, reliability, performance, 

security, supportability, and other aspects to ensure quality of services. 

o The design must consider Web interfaces, B2B interfaces and offline capabilities 

for creating and uploading transactions through a web interface. 



2.4 RFI TEMPLATE 

Please provide the following information for the company profile and the requested 

information for the listed goals for this request of information. 

Company Profile 

Item 

Company Background 

Areas of expertise 

HQ Location and 

global/regional/local 

(Panama) presence 

EA Development and EA 

Center of Excellence 

experience, capabilities 

and competencies 

BPM/SOA development 

and integration 

experience, capabilities 

and competencies 

Successful EA Projects 

Successful BPM/SOA 

solution development 

projects 

Point(s) of contact(s) for 

this RFI. 

Description 

Brief history of the company, website, business divisions, 

years in business, customer base … 

List areas of expertise, number of years providing services 

in these areas, solutions for vertical industries… 

Address of your main office or headquarters, regional 

offices or subsidiaries, partner network worldwide 

including specifically presence in Panama and the 

Americas. 

Service offerings, projects, participation in industry 

research and development, number of qualified 

personnel, certified personnel… 

Service offerings, projects, participation in industry 

research and development, number of qualified 

personnel, certified personnel… 

Description of services implemented in your clients 

comparable to the ones requested in this RFI 

Description of services implemented in your clients 

comparable to the ones researched in this RFI 

Name, title / position, telephone, e-mail, social networking 

If you are interested in providing services for the goals/tasks listed in the RFI 

Description, please complete the additional information as follows: 

Interested in providing services for… 

“EA Adoption and Establishment of CoE” Goal 

““Top-Down” and “Middle-Out” assessment for core business 

processes Goal 

“Solution Project 1” Goal 

Please complete… 

Section A 

Section B 

Section C 



Section A - EA Adoption and Establishment of CoE” Goal 

Item 

EA Methodology 

Expert Profiles / Roles 

Work plan 

ACP Workforce Requirements 

Knowledge Management Plan 

Description 

Describe the EA methodology to be used and its 

relation to EA best practices and industry 

frameworks. Specify how this EA methodology aligns 

with BPM/SOA development and integration efforts. 

List the expert profiles/roles that will support/guide 

this goal with the proposed approach. For example, 

“Enterprise Architecture Consultant”, “Information 

Architect”, “Process Analyst”, “Technical Writer” and 

such. Include role descriptions for each. 

Describe the phases, milestones and schedule for 

this goal. Include any deliverables expected for these 

objectives 

Describe the profiles/roles and their level of effort 

(hours) required by ACP in terms of the workforce 

that shall carry out this goal. 

Describe knowledge management activities that will 

guarantee knowledge transfer and EA program and 

EA CoE sustainability. 

Training and Development Plan Describe recommended formal training and 

development plan for ACP personnel assigned to 

work and carry out this goal and sustain EA efforts 

thereafter, in addition to on-the-job knowledge 

transfer. The training plan must include the list of 

courses and an estimated cost. 

Estimated level of effort 

(contract hours) to achieve this 

goal as detailed, taking into 

account the assumptions and 

constraints listed. 

Estimated cost of services 

described 

Estimated costs for additional 

services 

Additional considerations 

Evaluation model for selection 

criteria 

Amount of hours required of each Expert Profile 

broken down for each of the proposed deliverable 

Provide the total cost in USD for the services and its 

breakdown per deliverable listed in the work plan. 

Provide hourly rates in USD per role/function for 

additional services not included in the scope of this 

RFI 

Include any other information that is important to 

consider (additional resources or requirements, prerequisite 

information…) 

List sample criteria for evaluation including capability 

attributes, cultural fit, certifications, personnel 

requirements, etc. to be considered for the RFP. 



Section B - “Top-Down” and “Middle-Out” assessment for core business processes 

Consider the following scenarios, and for EACH of these scenarios complete the table below: 

Item 

Scenario 

“Done by ACP” where ACP personnel complete most of the actual work, supported by 

mentoring and guidance, quality checks and such. 

“Hybrid Joint ACP/Provider approach” where both ACP and Provider perform actual 

tasks in the analysis, design, build and implementation. This means the Provider’s staff 

will be regularly completing tasks towards deliverables. 

BPM/SOA Methodology 

Description 

“Done by ACP” or “Hybrid Joint ACP/Provider 

approach”. 

Describe the BPM/SOA methodology to be used for 

the discovery and analysis of core business processes 

to perform the “Top-Down” and “Middle-Out” 

approach. Explain how this methodology covers the 

work to be performed at each BPM/SOA layer. 

Expert Profiles / Roles List the expert profiles/roles that will 

support/guide/execute this goal with the proposed 

approach. For example, “Enterprise Architect”, 

“Service Designer”, “Business Rules Specialist”, 

“Usability expert” and such. Include role descriptions 

for each. 

Work plan 



Training and Development Plan 


this goal. List all expected deliverables for these 

objectives. 





guarantee knowledge transfer and sustain future inhouse 

or outsourced “Top-Down” and “Middle-Out” 

assessment. 

Describe recommended training and development 

plan for ACP personnel assigned to work and carry 

out this goal and sustain future in-house or 

outsourced “Top-Down” and “Middle-Out” 

assessment. 



Consider the following scenarios, and for EACH of these scenarios complete the table below: 






Item 








services 

Estimated cost of Training 

Requirements 



criteria 

Description 


broken down for each of the proposed deliverables. 

Provide the total cost in USD for the services and its 

breakdown per deliverable listed in the work plan. 

Provide costs per hour per role for activities to be 

hired as additional services in USD. 

Provide the total cost for the Training Plan described, 

in USD as a separate quote. 



information…). 


attributes, cultural fit, personnel minimum 




Section C - “Solution Project 1” 

Consider the following scenario, and for EACH scenario that meets your interests, complete the 

table below. 

Item 

Scenario 






BPM/SOA Methodology 

Description 

“Done by ACP” or “Hybrid Joint ACP/Provider 

approach”. 

Describe the BPM/SOA methodology to be used for 

the analysis, design, build and implementation of 

“Solution Project 1.” Explain how this methodology 

covers the work to be performed at each BPM/SOA 

layer. 

Expert Profiles / Roles List the expert profiles/roles that will 

support/guide/execute this goal with the proposed 

approach. For example, “SOA Architect”, “Service 

Designer”, “Business Rules Specialist”, “Usability 

expert” and such. Include role descriptions for each. 

Work plan: 



Training and Development Plan 


this goal. List all expected deliverables for these 

objectives. 





guarantee knowledge transfer and sustain future inhouse 

or outsourced BPM/SOA solution projects. 

Describe recommended training and development 

plan for ACP personnel assigned to work and carry 

out this goal and sustain future in-house or 

outsourced BPM/SOA solution projects. 



Consider the following scenario, and for EACH scenario that meets your interests, complete the 

table below. 






Item 








services 

Estimated cost of Training 

Requirements 



criteria 

Description 


broken down for each of the proposed deliverables. 

Provide the total cost for the services described, in 

USD. 

Provide costs per hour per role for activities to be 

hired as additional services in USD. 

Provide the total cost for the Training Plan described, 

in USD, as a separate quote. 



information…). 


attributes, cultural fit, personnel minimum 




2.5 RFI PROCEDURE 

This RFI is distributed by web/e-mail to a limited number of companies based on ACP’s 

market knowledge. To further enhance transparency and participation, the RFI will also 

be posted via Twitter and Linked In. Feel free to notify or forward this RFI to business 

partners in capacity of providing the aforementioned services. 

Your response to this RFI is required no later than November 2nd, 2012 by email to 

renova@pancanal.com 

Point(s) of Contact 

Please provide your response in WORD or PDF format to the following electronic mails: 

Primary POC 

Alternate POC 

Cristina Lee 

RENOVA Enterprise Architecture Program 

Phone: +507.272.7595 

E-mail: renova@pancanal.com 

Axel Mock 

RENOVA Enterprise Architecture Program 

Phone: +507.272.1917 

E-mail: renova@pancanal.com 



3. 

3.1 ACP VISION 

WORLD LEADER in services to the maritime industry and in sustainable development for 

the conservation of the Panama Canal watershed. 

CORNERSTONE of the global transportation system and driving force for the progress, 

development and growth of Panama. 

MODEL of excellence, integrity and transparency in our conduct; committed to the 

integral development of our human resource team. 

3.2 ACP MISSION 

To produce the maximum sustainable benefit from our geographical position. 

We will be successful to the extent that we provide value and service to our customers, 

increase our corporate value and thus contribute to the prosperity of Panama. 

Our business. This enterprise is charged with operating, maintaining and improving the 

Panama Canal so that it remains the route of choice for our customers. We are the 

exclusive administrators of the Canal's patrimony and do so in a manner that is 

profitable, efficient and competitive, with excellence, quality and transparency, while 

guaranteeing prompt, dependable, safe and uninterrupted interoceanic transit. We 

invest in training and technology; we grow in order to strengthen the corporation's 

competitive position and assure future viability. We manage and conserve the Canal's 

water resources and participate actively in environmental protection, as well as in the 

sustainable development of the Canal watershed. 

Our country. We bring wealth to Panama and contribute with our efforts to the nation's 

welfare, development and progress, and to an improved standard of living for all 

Panamanians. 

Our customers. We build lasting relationships with our customers, understanding and 

anticipating their needs, and offering quality service. 

Our people. We recognize that the Canal worker is the most important resource in 

achieving service excellence. We recruit and promote the very best. We value diversity 

and encourage teamwork, while continuously training our people, creating the 

opportunities for all individuals to contribute, learn, grow, and progress based on their 

merits, and to be fairly compensated for their contributions. 



3.3 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART 



4. 

ACP is committed with its mission of operating, maintaining and improving the Panama 

Canal so that it remains the route of choice for our customers, and has developed a 

catalog with more than 100 applications, most of them for departmental used but a few 

ones available for supporting the most critical and major Business Processes. 

The following diagram shows the current ACP systems applications covered during the 

IT Readiness Assessment for SOA (refer to section 6) with the main applications: 

Electronic Data Collection System (EDCS) 

Mobile Data Collection Application (MDCA) 

Enhanced Vessel Traffic Management System (EVTMS) 

Customer Services Management System (CSMS) 

Other departmental applications were not included in the assessment but they are 

required for the transit operation and must be included in the new architecture. 

ACP Critical Application Systems – Functional Application View 

4.1 ELECTRONIC DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM (EDCS) 

Built in Java using a proprietary framework of Crimson Logic. This system considers the 

following framework, standards and technologies: 



DAO (Data Access Object) 

JavaScript 

JMS (Java Message Service) 

JSP (JavaServer Pages) 

MDB (Message Driven Bean) 

MVC (Model View Controller) 

Servlet 

VO (Value Object) 

XML 

Initial analysis concluded that SQL statements are embedded in the code through the 

entire development. No reuse components identified. 

Electronic Data Collection System 

Technical Name 

EDCS – part of ADCS 

Description 

Allows the customers and agents to submit all required pre-arrival information of a vessel to visit 

and/or transit the Panama Canal as well as for ACP representatives to process these submissions. After 

being verified by ACP personnel, this information is incorporated into the production database of the 

Enhanced Vessel Traffic Management System (EVTMS). The information is provided by web, cig or xml 

format through a from upload option. 

Type 

Outsourced by Crimson Logic (http://www.crimsonlogic.com) 

Criticality 

CRITICAL - OP - Maritime Operations 

Development Language Java and Crimson Logic COTS 

Responsible Unit 

FAII-SMI 

Platform 

EDCS Web access 

• MS Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1 and above 

• Windows 2000 (SP2), Windows XP 

• JRE 1.4.2 

• CIP & I-Key drivers 

EDCS CIG with RTFTP Client for Windows 

• Windows 2000 (SP4) 

for Solaris 

• Solaris 8 

• gcc 2.95.3 and above 

Users 200 

Availability 

24X7 

Owner 

OP 

Database SUN V880, Solaris 9 

Oracle Server 9.2.0 

Application 

SUN V880, Solaris 9, load balanced (content switch) 

BEA Weblogic Application Sever 8.1 

Architecture 

3-tier 

Status 

Active 

Modules 

ETA, (Estimated Time of Arrival) Vessels, visits and movement information of Vessels 

SHD (Ship Due), Vessels, visits, movement, security and quarantine information of Vessels 

CAD (Cargo Declaration), Vessel's cargo declaration 

BAP (BAPLIE), Contenerized cargo information 

PAX (Passenger list), Passenger list 

CREW (Crew list). Crew List 

Functional Areas 

Maritime Operations Department 

Functionalities 

(EDCS) allows the customers and agents to submit all required pre-arrival information of a vessel to visit and/or transit the Panama 

Canal as well as for ACP representatives to process these submissions. The information is provided by web, cig or xml format 

through a form upload option. 



Project Scope: All modules in this system are selected as part of Solution No. 1 for a 

BPM/SOA approach as the first initiative. 

EDCS and MDCA Systems – Technical Components View 

4.2 MOBILE DATA COLLECTION APPLICATION (MDCA) 

Built on .NET. The database used by this application comprises internally views with 

triggers responsible for distributing the information into the EVTMS database. 

The initial analysis concluded that development is quite simple and rudimentary 

considering the layers in which they are built. And like EDCS, SQL statements are 

embedded in the code. 

Mobile Data Collection Application 


MDCA – part of ADCS 

Description 

Allows the Boarding Officer to automate admeasurements processes prior to the vessel transit through 

the canal. 

Type 

Outsourced by Crimson Logic (http://www.crimsonlogic.com) 

Criticality 


Development Language .NET, Java 


FAII-SMI 

Platform 

• Windows 2000, .Net Framework, BT 500 Bluetooth client 

• JRE 1.4.2, CIP & I-Key drivers, Oracle Data Provider for .net 

Users 50 

Availability 

24x7 

Owner 

OP 

Database HW: SUN M5000, Solaris zones, Solaris 10 

SW: Oracle Server 11.2.0.2 



Application 

SUN V880, Solaris 9, load balanced (content switch) 

BEA Weblogic Application Sever 8.1 

Architecture 

Client / server 

Status 

Active 

Modules 

ADS Final 

SIQD Final 

Tolls 

Docking Release 

Transit Release 

Handline Release 

Received from the Master 

Admeasurer's Inspection Checklist 

Admeasurement Clearance and Handline Inspection (No Agents) 

Handline Lockage Request 

Launch Fee 

MCC 

Chock & Bitts 

Tank Statements 

Super Structure Calculation 

Crew List 

Passenger List 

Retrieve reports module 




Facilitates Admeasurement inspections of vessels arriving in Canal waters, through the wireless network from mobile devices to 

access information in the EVTMS system. Includes options for: capture and updating the results of the admeasurement work; 

provide digital signature for documents; electronic forms printing; synchronize information between the first and second boarding 

officer; and synchronize information with EVTMS. 

4.3 ENHANCED VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EVTMS) 

Built in Oracle Forms. This system provides real-time information from Canal resources 

and the vessels in transit. 

Initial analysis concluded that the structure within the database shows the correct use 

of packages, procedures and functions. However, business forms have embedded logic 

components as present in the database. This logic is highly recommended to be moved 

outside these components and located in a business rules engine. 

EVTMS Oracle Forms Applications 



Enhanced Vessel Traffic Management System 


EVTMS 

Description 

Integrates the operational transit information in a database central repository, providing real time 

information of Canal resources and in-transit vessels within the limits of the waterway. 

Type 

In-house development 

Criticality 


Development Language Business components use Oracle Developer Suite 10g (Forms/Reports), PL/SQL, Java and RDBMS Oracle 

11g, Scientific components use .NET 2003, VB6 and G2, Migrating everything to .NET 2010. 


FAII-SMI 

Platform Oracle Forms Server, Windows XP, .NET 2.0, .NET framework 4.0 

Users 1500 

Availability 

24x7 

Owner 

OP 



Application 

HW: SUN Blade 6000 (T3-1B), Solaris zones, Solaris 10, load balanced (content switch) 

SW: Oracle OAS 10.1.2 (Forms Server, Report Server) 

Architecture 

client/server 

Status 

Active 

Modules 

Maintenance of vessel's visit and its movements 

Vessel Transit Reservation 

Billing Maritime Services 

Maintenance for vessel’s transit resources requirements and restrictions 

Operational transit processes 

Vessel Transit Schedule Planning 

Harbor and anchorage movements 

Pilot Assignment 

Management Inquiries 

System Administration 




Integrates the operational transit information in a database central repository, providing real time information of Canal resources 

and in-transit vessels within the limits of the waterway. Users are allowed to administer visits and process booking requests, 

register admeasurement activities, review funds and process financial information, administer transit restrictions, resources and 

determine precautionary measurements for dangerous cargo or special transit conditions. 

Also evaluate potential risks based on the information of crew, passenger, cargo and previous ports call, coordinate harbor and 

anchorage movements and provide information through reports and on-line requests to both internal and external users. 

Project Scope: Maintenance of vessel’s visit and its movements (ETA/SHD) and Vessel 

Transit Reservation (Booking) modules in EVTMS Business for this system are selected as 

part of Solution No. 1 for the BPM/SOA approach as the first initiative. 







4.4 CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CSMS) 

Include the identity management functions for performing user authentication and 

authorization of applications; and the customer service management system, for 

managing the services delivered to customers. Some of its features are: tariffs, billing 

information, and more. Built by PSL on Java (JEE) and uses a proprietary framework 

called “JBrain”. 

Initial analysis determined that this system should not be migrated into the new 

enterprise architecture at least during the first initiatives because it was developed 

using Java under a service model. However, current and future functionalities for this 

system should be analyzed and evaluated in order to incorporate those into the new 

architecture. 

Customer Service Management System 


CSMS 

Description 

Extends the guarantee process for revolving funds of current shipping agencies with ACP; allows 

advancing the earning and improving the billing process (including standard maritime services); allows 

the registry and control of incidental maritime and commercial services provided to the clients; and 

permits the submission of transit bookings guarantees directly to the shipping agencies. 

Type 

Outsourced by PSL (http://www.psl.com.co) 

Criticality 


Development Language Java (JEE) 

and PSL JBrain Framework 


FAII-SMI 

Platform IE8, Windows XP, Windows 7 

Users 1433 

Availability 

24x7 

Owner 

OP 



Application 

HW: SUN Blade 6000 (T3-1B), Solaris zones, Solaris 10, load balanced (content switch) 

SW: Oracle OAS 10.1.3 (OC4J/JAVA) 

Architecture 

3-tier / client/server 

Status 

Active 

Modules 

IDMS (Identification Management System) 

Tariffs 

Services 

Guarantees 

Launches 

Tugs 

Inspections 

Billing 

Other Services 

Commercial Services 

Commercial Billing 



Finances 


CSMS Functionality: Allow Maritime & Commercial tariffs, account, and service configuration and administration; commercial 

contracts configuration and administration (Occasional, Recurrent & One-Time); guarantee administration (Input, Approval & 

Expiration); charges flows, generation and invoicing; automatic assignment of guarantees to Maritime charges; and Maritime 

Invoices Publishing, to be available to external users (Banks & Shipping Agents). Provide maritime charges quotations, and manage 

Claims and other clients request for Information 

IDMS Functionality: Manage User Profile configuration; internal User Activation using Active Directory; external user creation using 

SUN LDAP; assign user profiles and organization activation. 



CSMS System – Technical Components View 



4.5 SUMMARY TABLE OF MARITIME APPLICATIONS 

The following table lists the utilized software for core business processes in the 

applications that support the Transit Operations Division. It also describes the software 

infrastructure requirements for these applications. 



Project Scope: Integration to Other Supporting Applications is part of Solution No. 1 for 

the BPM/SOA approach as the first initiative. 

4.6 MARITIME SYSTEMS FUNCTIONAL MODULE VIEW 

Following is a view of ACP’s functional modules components and technical components 

of the core business application provided for additional information. 

Application: EDCS 

Modules: ETA/Ship Due, Cargo Declaration, BAPLIE, Crew List, Passenger List, Booking, 

Data Replication 

Application: EVTMS Business 

Modules: ETA/Ship Due, Booking, Admeasurement, Security, Marine Billing, CPC/Safety, 

Resources, Data Replication 

Application: EVTMS Scientific 

Modules: Vessel Schedule, Pilot Assignment, Harbor, Signal Station 



Application: CSMS 

Sub-systems/Modules: Guarantee, Inspections, Tariff, Billing, Launches, Services, Tug, 

Commercial Services, Commercial Billing, Other Services, IDMS 

Application: Departmental Systems 

Sub-systems/Modules: Tug Schedule, Linehandlers, ShipFile/Filenet 





4.7 MARITIME SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY VIEW 

The following diagram shows the software configurations and its software environment 

relationship. It also provides a quick overview of the different server types, required 

configurations, and different peripherals. 



5. 

This section provides a general overview of the existing ACP infrastructure main components 

just as a reference. 

Component 

ACP current tools 

1. Servers Unix-based (Sun) Intel-based (HP/Dell) 

2. Server operating systems Windows Server 2003 R2 and above Sun Solaris 10 and above 

3. Work stations Intel-based (example, HP, Dell) 

4. Workstation operating systems Windows XP SP3 and above 

5. Database Oracle 11g (v 11.2) RDBMS and above, or MS SQL Server 2005 and above 

6. App Server and/or Web Server Oracle iAS10g & BEA Weblogic on Unix / Microsoft IIS 

7. Browsers Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 and above 

8. Corporate email system Microsoft Exchange 2010 

9. Collaboration and Document Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 and above 

Management System 

10. Imaging KnowledgeLake Imaging 

11. Office productivity tool Microsoft Office 2010 and above 

12. Directory Microsoft Active Directory, SUN LDAP Server 

13. Business Process Management 

System (BPMS) 

Tibco Active Matrix 

14. File Management IBM Filenet Panagon 

15. Business Intelligence IBM Cognos 10 

16. Commercial Off-the-Shelf Oracle Financials, Oracle Human Resources, Oracle Primavera, IBM Maximo 

Programming Languages and Tools 

Web Services MS Access Oracle Developer Suite 

Java Visual Basic IBM Cognos 

.NET Framework Visual Studio IBM FileNET 

XML MS SharePoint Genexus (9,X) 

C# Reporting Services G2 

Javascript ASP ArcGIS 

Integration Types 

Oracle Database Link 

Oracle Advanced Replication 

Web Services 

Java API 

Data File Transfer 

XML Http 

DTS 

5.1 OPERATING SYSTEM 

The ACP corporate systems run under SUN Microsystems’ Solaris Operating System version 9 or 

above, Windows 2003 Server and Windows XP. The Sun Solaris is the preferred O.S. for systems 

deployment running with Oracle RDBMS. 



5.2 RDBMS SOFTWARE 

The ACP corporate systems run under Oracle’s RDBMS version 9i or above, Microsoft SQL Server 

2000 and SQL Server 2005. Oracle is the preferred RDBMS for critical systems deployment. 

5.3 STORAGE 

The storage for all of the ACP corporate system is accessed through a Storage Area Network 

(SAN) inside the Datacenters. The vendor must provide to the ACP accurate storage estimates so 

that the appropriate space allocation can be done to ensure proper system performance. 

The SAN is based on Brocade Fiber Channel switches. 

The SAN based storage will host all non-operating-system software (COTS), programs, and data. 

Additional SAN storage is expected to manage the new architecture. 

5.4 SERVERS 

The ACP corporate systems run under SUN Microsystems’ SPARC platform, or x86 (Intel, AMD) 

Windows platform. 

The existing production application tier consists of Sun E4800, Sun T2000 and HP Blade servers, 

which are attached to a SAN (Storage Area Network) and load balanced through a Cisco Content 

Switch. Servers can be physical or virtual depending on the application’s requirement. When 

virtualized, the preferred hypervisors are Solaris 9 and VMware ESX 3.5 or above. 

The existing production database tier consists of a Sun 6900 Server. Both tiers support the 

Production and Pre-Production environments. 

The existing development application tier consists of Sun 450 and V890 servers and the 

development database tier consists of a Sun 4500 Server. This hardware infrastructure gives 

service to the development environment and the system test environment. 

Additional Sun servers are expected to manage the new architecture. 

5.5 TELECOMMUNICATIONS 

All equipment and associated software in ACP existing IT infrastructure are Cisco. 

The current Internet bandwidth for the ACP is four (4) optical Ethernet links, two at 5 Mbps and 

two at 10 Mbps, through two different Internet service providers using full BGP-4 routing 

protocol. It should also evaluate the current bandwidth utilization in each link, to determine the 

impact on their solution, considering the amount of estimated transactions and data traffic for 



ACP environment. In case this infrastructure is not enough to comply with the ACP solution 

requirements, the provider should include the required additional resources (hardware, 

software, links, services, etc.) to make it work properly. 

With regards to service availability on Internet access, currently ACP has a baseline of 99.6% a 

year. The provider should evaluate this baseline versus the ACP solution requirements in terms 

of availability. 

For reference purposes, our current optical Ethernet links to Internet are in a load-sharing 

configuration for upstream and downstream traffic with an average utilization of 60% during 

working hours, but eventually have peaks of 100% for a short period of time. 

5.6 OTHER SOFTWARE 

For internal disk mirrors, and disk volume management, ACP is currently using Veritas Volume 

Manager Version 3.1.1 or above. 

For disk volume availability, recovery, and performance, ACP is currently using Veritas File 

System version 3.4 or above. 

For automated backups, the ACP is currently using Veritas Netbackup version 4.5 or above, with 

the appropriate database agent. 

The use of the BPM tool is limited to the implementation of an administrative process to 

manage forms only. 



6. 

As a first initiative, the ACP completed a four (4) months SOA IT Readiness Assessment 

and Roadmap to provide a better understanding of the current situation and, 

consequently, established the basis for the development of a phased SOA adoption and 

modernization plan to adapt software, people and processes to a service orientation by 

delivering early, measurable, and incremental business benefits while avoiding major 

disruptions. The tracks covers by this assessment included the following: 

SOA Readiness Assessment 

Defined the basis on which to develop the ACP service model and defined the optimal 

technical requirements for each of the layers that make up a service-oriented 

architecture. It also included the definition, analysis and design of a service 

specification to implement. 

SOA Roadmap 

Provided a Project Plan detailed definition under a SOA guidance for the ACP, including 

the preparation and training of ACP personnel. 

SOA Architecture 

Defined the different layers or platforms needed to implement a complete SOA strategy, 

and to ensure the adequacy of such Technological Architecture normalized model and 

its acceptance. It also included the infrastructure SOA Requirements and the SOA ToR. 

SOA Center of Excellence and Governance 

Defined the model and procedures for roles required within the IT department for the 

SOA governance. 

Even though, during the consulting process ACP understood the need to redefine the 

scope of the study toward an Enterprise Architecture, the original scope for the 

consulting was limited to the Service-Oriented Architecture. 

6.1 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF THE BPM/SOA MATURITY SURVEY. 

The survey results are transferred to a BPM/SOA Maturity evaluation matrix with 

specific weights for each of the survey lines, obtaining a valuation for each of the 

evaluation categories that are included in these lines. 

The overall results for the iteration of the survey are reflected in the Summary of the 

evaluation matrix (May 2012) shown below: 



BPM/SOA Maturity Evaluation Matrix for ACP (May 2012) 

There is a state of maturity primarily located within the first level with gain in 

Preparation Technology, Organization Maturity, and Life Cycle Management, due to 

different implementations undertaken in the organization of BPM and Web Service 

technologies; however, offset by almost no governance in any environment. 

These results indicate progress with unconsolidated experiences, not being 

accompanied by corresponding increases for absorption of technologies and the 

application of these in other projects that complement the evolution of SOA. 

In summary, ACP as organization, and the consolidated results as can be seen in the 

polar diagram Maturity, is currently at the first level of maturity, named as the Early 

Learning and characterized by the following tips: 

SOA activities initial concept testing, creation of independent services for 

troubleshooting specific point. 

Application of Process Management to a very specific area of the business, much like 

a traditional application and without possibility of expansion to other areas of the 

business. 

6.2 MARITIME CORE BUSINESS APPLICATIONS FUNCTIONALITIES AND POSSIBLE SERVICES. 

The IT Readiness Assessment also covered the core business applications for ACP, 

identifying and documenting around 3850 functionalities out of the most critical four (4) 

application systems. 



Application Functionalities Matrix – Partial View 

These functionalities were supported by 1017 atomic operations, and each of these 

operations, after being validated with the Ontological model, were grouped in 122 

possible services, including the possible applications integration services. Out of these, 

there are identified 20 services to be part of Solution No. 1. 

Atomic Operations per Service Matrix – Partial View 

For each of these possible services, the consultant provided a conceptual service 

contract, and the definition of each of these services in the Sparx Systems’ Enterprise 

Architect tool, allowing the generation of the documentation directly from the tool. 

The Ontological model was also document using this tool, including over 750 entities. 

And as result of this assessment for the actual Data Model perfectly matches the core 

business of ACP. Even when the business of the new 2014 Canal Expansion can carry 

changes in it, is a very good basis for reuse. In addition, the maintenance of that data 



model simplifies the transition periods in which there are other solutions modernized 

and others, and avoids problems arising from the current existing cross integrations. 

6.3 SOA REFERENCE ARCHITECTURE 

ACP has started down the path that will lead to the adoption of a SOA model. This aims 

to provide flexibility to their operations and business processes to meet the changing 

needs of internal and external customers. These operations and processes will use many 

components and services to be organized logically to achieve harmony between them. 

This harmony requires a structure that orders the different components that effectively 

targeted. It is for this reason that the definition of a technological architecture is as 

important to SOA / BPM initiatives. 

The consulting established the architecture bases that ACP must implement to provide a 

robust SOA platform. The following aspects were considered: 

• Model reference technology architecture 

• Current technological architecture of ACP 

• Functional requirements of ACP 

• ACP target architecture 

• Roadmap for technological evolution 

• Product analysis 

From the technological point of view, in the ACP platforms coexist several software 

architectures but mainly 3-tier architectures and client / server. 

Components Diagram “As-Is”(Top Level) 



Reference model to support the SOA/BPM initiates for ACP Target Architecture. 

Components Diagram “To-Be” 

The Target Architecture shall cover the complete Enterprise Architecture, including not 

just the BPM and SOA tools but also ECM and any other tool required for Security, 

Governance, Administration, etc. 

No changes to current database software required. 

6.4 PROPOSED SOA ROADMAP. 

The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) decided to adopt an Enterprise Architecture under 

the Process Management and Service Oriented Architecture (BPM/SOA) models, with 

the purposes of: 



Modernize the ACP Information Technology as a strategic asset that provides the 

business agility required in a changing environment. 

Prepare the launch of the 2014 Canal Expansion with the Information Technology 

prepared for the new business rules, resulting from the new third-set of locks and 

provide also, flexibility required to face the future. 

The SOA Roadmap SOA Strategy defined concrete actions and initiatives to continue to 

meet the objectives pursued in the SOA strategy. 

Based on ACP SOA Strategy, the Roadmap defined in detail the modernization plan for 

adapting the architecture and business applications, the people and processes into a 

Services Oriented align information technology with business agility by providing the 

Business with measurable and incremental benefits. 

The first group of projects proposed in the Roadmap includes those that are essential to 

the smooth operation of the business derived from the implementation of the new 

third-set of locks for the 2014 Canal Expansion. 

The Roadmap indicates the initiatives undertaken for the adoption of SOA and according 

to SOA Strategy and specifies the projects to be developed in each of the following areas 

of development: 

Initiatives (Projects) in Enterprise Architecture 

Architecture and Technology Infrastructure 

Organization 

Government 

Training 



7. 

ACP: Autoridad del Canal de Panamá (Panama Canal Authority) 

BPM: Business Process Management 

COE: Center of Excellence 

CORE BUSINESS SERVICES: The nuclear services that will support the business function 

from the applications 

CSMS: Customer Service Management System 

EDCS: Electronic Data Collection System 

ESB: Enterprise Service Bus 

EVTMS: Enhanced Vessel Traffic Management System 

MDCA: Mobile Data Collection Application 

ONTOLOGY: Semantics that will support the Core Business Services of ACP 

OP: Maritime Operations Department 

RFP: Request for Proposal 

SOA: Service-Oriented Architecture 

ToR: Terms of Reference 

Architecture: is the fundamental organization of a system, embodied in its components, 

their relationships to each other and the environment, and the principles governing its 

design and evolution (described in ANSI/IEEE STD 1471-2000). 

Enterprise Architecture: is the practice of applying a comprehensive and rigorous 

method for describing a current and/or future structure and behavior for an 

organization's processes, information systems, personnel and organizational sub-units, 

so that they align with the organization's core goals and strategic direction. Although 

often associated strictly with information technology, it relates more broadly to the 

practice of business optimization in that it addresses business architecture, performance 

management, organizational structure and process architecture as well. 

Framework: is a set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a 

way of viewing the current environment. 



Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards (OASIS): is a 

not-for-profit, international consortium that drives the development, convergence, and 

adoption of e-business standards in the public sector and for application-specific 

markets. Founded in 1993, OASIS has more than 5,000 participants representing over 

600 organizations and individual members in 100 countries. 

Reference architecture: is an architectural design pattern that indicates how an abstract 

set of mechanisms and relationships realizes a predetermined set of requirements. 

Reference Model: is an abstract framework for understanding significant relationships 

among the entities of some environment that enables the development of specific 

architectures using consistent standards or specifications supporting that environment. 

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA): is a paradigm for organizing and utilizing 

distributed capabilities that may be under the control of different ownership domains 

that provides an uniform means to offer, discover, interact with and use capabilities to 

produce desired effects consistent with measurable preconditions and expectations. 

Service: is the means by which the needs of a consumer are brought together with the 

capabilities of a provider. 

Software Architecture: is the structure or structures of an information system consisting 

of entities and their externally visible properties, and the relationships among them. 

The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF): is a leading Enterprise Architecture 

Framework which has a dynamic representation and provides a detailed step-by-step 

method on how to build, maintain, and implement Enterprise Architecture. Since the 

mid 1990’s, TOGAF has been continuously developed by representatives of some of the 

world’s leading IT customer and vendor organizations, working in The Open Group's 

Architecture Forum. 



8. 

8.1 SAMPLE DOCUMENTATION FOR SERVICE CONTRACTS 

Sample documentation for the Conceptual Service VesselService generated from the 

Enterprise Architect. As part of the Assessment, all possible services identified were 

documented at a conceptual level. Each documented service included two sections: 

Service Features and Service Operations. 





Sample documentation for the Detail Service Specification VesselService generated 

from the Enterprise Architect. ACP received as part of the Assessment only five (5) 

services documented with detail specifications. Each documented detail service 

included sections as: components model, component diagram, service operation 

specifications & operation flow charts, among others. 







8.2 PROPOSED SERVICES LIST 

Possible services list from a bottom-up approach for discovering functionalities and 

operations out of the core application systems during the SOA Readiness Assessment. 

Possible Services 

ACPInfoRequestsService GenericServiceReference PayPerClassCalendarServiceReference 

ACPInfoRequestsServiceReference GuaranteeService PayTypeService 

BatchService GuaranteeServiceReference PayTypeServiceReference 

BatchServiceReference HarborMovementDelayReasonService PeopleOnBoardService 

BillingAccountService HarborMovementDelayReasonServiceReference PeopleOnBoardServiceReference 

BillingAccountServiceReference HarborResourceRequirementService PeopleOnBoardServices 

BoardingPassService HarborResourceRequirementServiceReference PilotDutyAssignmentService 

BoardingPassServiceReference IdentityServiceReference PilotDutyAssignmentServiceReference 

CanalLocationUseAssignmentService IDMSService PilotService 

CanalLocationUssagesAssignmentServiceReference IMDGCodeServiceReference PilotServiceReference 

CargoInfoHeaderService InspectionItemService PilotTransitEvaluationService 

CargoInfoHeaderServiceReference InspectionItemServiceReference PilotTransitEvaluationServiceReference 

ChargeService InspectionServiceService RequerimentService 

ChargeServiceReference InspectionServiceServiceReference RequerimentServiceReference 

ClaimService InvoiceService RTPLService 

ClaimServiceReference InvoiceServiceReference ScheduleService 

CommercialServiceConfigurationService ItineraryServiceReference ScheduleServiceReference 

CommercialServiceConfigurationServiceReference LaunchServiceReference ScheduleTransitLocationService 

CommercialServiceService LaunchServiceService ScheduleTransitLocationServiceReference 

CommercialServiceServiceReference LaunchServiceServiceReference SDBService 

CTANActivityService LaunchUserActiveShiftService ServiceConfigurationEffectivityService 

CTANActivityServiceReference LaunchUserActiveShiftServiceReference ServiceConfigurationEffectivityServiceReference 

CTANService LineHandlerService ServiceConfigurationEffectivityServices 

CTANServiceReference MaritimeServiceConfigurationService ServiceDefinitionService 

CustomerVesselCargoItemService MaritimeServiceConfigurationServiceReference SmallCraftLicenseService 

CustomerVesselCargoItemServiceReference MaritimeServiceRequestService SmallCraftLicenseServiceReference 

CustomerVisitService MaritimeServiceRequestServiceReference TariffService 

CustomerVisitServiceReference MaritimeServiceService TariffServiceReference 

DeadTowService MaritimeServiceServiceReference TripService 

DeadTowServiceReference MemoService TripServiceReference 

DeficiencyTypeService MemoServiceReference TugJobAssignmentService 

DraftMeasurementService MiscellaneousServiceService TugJobAssignmentServiceReference 

DraftMeasurementServiceReference MiscellaneousServiceServiceReference TugJobCodeService 

FacilitySecurityInfoServiceReference MTCLogService TugJobCodeServiceReference 

FileNetService MTCLogServiceReference TugJobGroupService 

FLIMSYService NonComplianceOcurrenceService TugJobGroupServiceReference 

FloatingEquipmentService NonComplianceOcurrenceServiceReference TugLogService 

FloatingEquipmentServiceReference OPERTUGService TugLogServiceReference 

FuelTankService ORAFINService VesselService 

FuelTankServiceReference ORAHRService VesselServiceReference 

GenericService 

PayPerClassCalendarService 

Candidate services to support Solution no.1 processes 



8.3 MARITIME BUSINESS PROCESS OVERVIEW 

This section provides an overview of each one of the business core processes involved in 

the first initiative; however, it will be the contractor responsibility to revise and update 

each one of them in order to accomplish the requested tasks. 

These processes are subject to a set of business rules, which determine the policies and 

the structure of the information of the company. Nevertheless, it is important to 

emphasize that ACP is often revising them to optimize the processes and its results. 

The overview is provided for the following processes: 

- Visit information Management 

- Transit Booking Requests 

- Naval Architect procedures 

- Fissile Material Cargo procedures 

- Admeasurement pre-arrival procedures 

o Total volume Calculation 

o Radio Pratique Approval 

Visit Information Management 

The ACP regulations requires that any vessel visiting Canal waters communicates its 

estimated time of arrival as well as other information to the Canal at least 96 hours 

before arriving to Panama Canal waters. Initial communication between the vessel and 

ACP starts with the estimated time of arrival (ETA) message received electronically 

through the EDCS system. This message is processed by the ETA Clerk who revises the 

entire information before accepting or rejecting each electronic transaction. Once the 

information is approved, it is transferred to the main operational system (EVTMS) to 

make it available for other ACP personnel, e.g., the Scheduler, Port Entry Coordinator. 

ETA messages are mainly submitted by local shipping agencies that represent the owner 

of the vessel, but they might come from the master of the vessel (i.e., captain), 

charterers, owners or operators responsible for vessel activities in Panama Canal 

Waters. In addition to the ETA message, the vessel is required to provide other 

information, which are validated by the EDCS system and get transferred to the EVTMS 

system without human interaction. Following are the types of information received: 

SHIP DUE information: contains in addition to the vessel identification information, 

dimensions, draft, security information, and itinerary movements for the visit. It is 

currently called the ETA message. 

CARGO DECLARATION information: contains the nature and tonnage of deck cargo; 

any packed dangerous or non-dangerous good; any explosive or dangerous cargo in 



bulk; any non-dangerous bulk cargo; and all other cargo. The submission of this 

information requires a previously approved and active visit in the EDCS system. 

BAPLIE DECLARATION information: contains cargo information for containerized 

vessels in standard EDI format used in the Maritime Industry. The submission of this 

information requires a previously approved and active visit in the EDCS system. 

CREW MEMBERS’ information: contains crew members’ identification and duty 

information including any local embarking/disembarking activities while in Canal 

waters. The submission of this information requires a previously approved and 

active visit in the EDCS system. 

PASSENGER LIST information: contains passengers’ identification information 

including any local embarking/disembarking activities while in Canal waters. The 

submission of this information requires a previously approved and active visit in the 

EDCS system. 

If the ETA message cannot be submitted electronically via EDCS, a fax copy can be sent 

to the ETA Clerk to include the visit information in the operational system. Also, if a 

vessel arriving to Canal waters while sighted by the Port Entry Coordinator (PEC) is 

ascertained missing in the operational system (e.g. yachts), the PEC will send the vessel 

information to the ETA Clerk for the inclusion of the visit information into the EDCS 

system. 

Information received from a vessel which indicates a first visit to Canal waters requires 

an additional revision by the ETA Clerk. The vessel identity is revised using the 

operational and historical systems and the Jane’s and Lloyds ship’s data banks, to 

confirm the not existence of a previous register for the new vessel. Currently, there is 

not integration with the Jane’s or Lloyds ship’s data banks and the EDCS or EVTMS 

systems. 

Information on vessel’s visits can be modified, if required, by ACP to include dock 

numbers, ready time information or additional itinerary movements to comply with 

Canal operations and handle them properly. ACP is also required to verify each 

movement ready time to move in order to plan the required resource to transit or to 

move the vessel safely. This information is modified using the corresponding modules in 

the EVTMS systems. 

Used software and tools: EDCS, EVTMS (Business Applications), Jane’s and Lloyds 

System: Web and book, Microsoft Office (Outlook), Telephone / Fax 

Transit Reservation (Booking) Process 

The Panama Canal Transit Reservation (Booking) System is an advanced scheduling of 

vessels regulated by the Chapter 1, Section 3 of the Maritime Regulations for the 

Operations of the Panama Canal. These rules are reviewed/revised annually, as required 

and published through Operations Vice President's Notices to Shipping, issued in 



January of each year. Changes, clarifications, and additional information are published, 

as required, through Advisories to Shipping (refer to http://www.pancanal.com/eng). 

The Transit Reservation is available on a voluntary basis to all Canal customers and 

provides for a daily number of vessels to make a more timely prescheduled transit upon 

payment of established tariffs. A vessel that has an announced visit can submit a 

booking request form only through her vessel shipping agent. The booking request 

form can be submitted via electronically through the EDCS system (which get 

transferred to EVTMS), via fax or hand-carried to the Maritime Traffic and 

Admeasurement Section. 

As a rule of thumb, the booking requests are treated on a first-come, first-served basis. 

These requests will be processed in the order of preference and the slot will be awarded 

to the first vessel that meets the characteristics of the available slots. For booking 

requests logged simultaneously, the established procedure for processing is: EDCS 

requests first, followed by faxes requests, and finally personally delivered requests. 

Slots are awarded based on availability for requested transit date, vessel dimensions, 

and transit direction, after applying additional validations. The Transit Reservation 

Assistance will review all booking requests and validate slots availability using the 

EVTMS system and the manual Transit Booking Listing Form, and will register all fax and 

hand-delivered requests with slots awarded into the EVTMS system. Additional manual 

processes are performed to notify the agents of rejected requests not send 

electronically. 

All transit booking requests submitted electronically via the EDCS system involve the use 

of security mechanisms like tokens with digital certificates. A transit booking request 

may include additional options like daylight transit, change transit date among others, 

which have their own requests and are submitted electronically via the EDCS system. 

At the end of each day, the Transit Reservation Assistance performs a series of 

validations using the EVTMS system and prepares a manual report with all exceptions 

for the day which require the supervisor’s signature. Once signed, this except list report 

is delivered to both the Marine Billing Section and the Account Receivables & Payables 

Section. 

Used software and tools: EDCS, EVTMS (Business Applications), Auction System for 

booking slots (software-as-a-service), ACP Website (www.pancanal.com), Microsoft 

Office (Outlook, Excel), Telephone / Fax 

Naval Architect procedures 

The ACP Naval Architect is responsible to ensure that new/modified vessels planning to 

transit the Panama Canal meet with the Vessel Requirements regulated by Notice to 



Shipping No. 1, Section 2 - Approval of Plans, and the Maritime Regulations for the 

Operations of the Panama Canal. This advance information will minimize the possibility 

that transit might be denied due to noncompliance with Canal regulations. 

Before arriving to Canal waters and staying in the shipyard, ship owners of new/ 

modified vessels are encourage to send their structural plans (e.g. general 

arrangements, visibility arrangements, capacity plan, engine room plan) for evaluation 

by ACP via email or by regular mail in a compact disk in PDF or TIFF file format or in a file 

format compatible with AUTOCAD in a compressed zip file. As part of this evaluation, 

the Naval Architect will review and validate the vessel’s plans and will certify if the 

new/modified vessel complies with the ACP’s Vessel Requirements (e.g. proper location, 

size, and height for the pilot shelter/platform). If the vessel’s plans comply, the 

documentation is stamped electronically with an “approved” seal and returned via email 

to allow the recipient controls of printing any number of copies of the stamped plans 

needed to meet distribution requirements; otherwise, a list of exceptions is sent to the 

owner in order to make the adjustments and correct the unsuitable or unsafe 

arrangements before the vessel leaves the shipyard. 

The Naval Architect scans the vessel’s plans (drawings and letters) and stores them 

inside the document management system (DMS), classifying them by plan number, hull 

number and builder’s shipyard information. Even though the EVTMS system 

implemented a module for the Naval Architect to record this information in the system, 

currently the information is only stored off-line. 

Used software and tools: AutoCad, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel), FileNet (DMS), 

Telephone / Fax 

Fissile Material Cargo procedures 

Vessels carrying fissile material cargo are regulated by the Chapter 9, Article 137 of the 

Maritime Regulations for the Operations of the Panama Canal. These rules established 

that any vessel carrying fissile material cargo (e.g. Uranium, Plutonium) are required to 

provide at least 30 days prior to arrival the following information: 

Criticality Index according to the IMDG 

Certificate Package design 

Insurance Coverage 

Required Visit information (e.g. the cargo manifest). 

All this information is mailed to the ACP’s Dangerous Cargo Specialist who will 

review/revise all the documentation. There is a manual entry in an Excel control sheet 

to keep track of the information received. 



Once the information is evaluated, the Dangerous Cargo Specialist notifies the shipping 

agent the results of the evaluation by email, requesting additional information if needed 

or assigning the Precautionary Designator (PD) code to the vessel to allow her to transit. 

If the vessel does not comply with the requirements, no PD code or a hold is assigned to 

the vessel’s visit using the EVTMS system and the Canal Port Captain is notified of the 

vessel condition. 

The Excel control sheet is used to respond requests from multiple solicitants, internal 

and external to ACP (e.g. members of the Government or the civil society) on statistics 

for vessel transiting with fissile material cargo. There is some information not available 

in the current EVTMS system to the Dangerous Cargo Specialist at this time to allow him 

to request this report or indicate any financial instruments used by the vessel. 

According to the current procedures, once the vessel finishes its visit, the detail 

information provided is destroyed. 

Used software and tools: EVTMS (Business Applications), Microsoft Office (Outlook, 

Excel), Telephone / Fax 

Admeasurement pre-arrival procedures 

Vessels arriving to the Panama Canal waters are subject to admeasurement inspections 

on arrival to warranty that all arrangements used for ACP personnel or other transfers 

shall efficiently fulfill their purpose of safely enabling embarking and disembarking, 

ensure the proper operation of vessel’s equipment, and to calculate the total volume for 

charging services provided by ACP. Some of these inspections may be reduced through 

the preliminary revision of vessel’s documentation and plans, reducing the waiting time 

of the vessel in Canal waters. For this purpose, the Admeasurement Unit performs the 

following pre-arrival procedures: 

Total Volume calculations 

The ACP regulations indicates that any vessel visiting Canal waters for the first time or 

with structural changes shall present an International Tonnage Certificate (69) (ITC 69) 

or a substitute document deemed acceptable by the ACP along with vessel’s plans, 

classification certificates and documents with information stating the Total Volume of 

the vessel or sufficient information in compatible or AUTOCAD format to the 

Admeasurement and Billing Unit to determine this volume through mathematical 

calculations. This advance information will avoid or minimize the total time of 

admeasurement inspections and additional charges. The vessel’s plans and 

documentation requested includes: 

o Lines Plan (or offsets table, if Lines not available) 



o Midship Section (or Shell Expansion and bilge radius info, if Midship not 

available) 

o General Arrangement 

o Cargo Securing Manual (container section) 

o Capacity Plan 

o International Tonnage Certificate 

o International Load Line Certificate 

o Suez Tonnage Certificate (if it has one) 

Shipping agents who send the documents electronically received an automatic email 

confirmation. Once the calculations are completed by the Admeasurement and Billing 

Unit, the vessel’s plans (drawings and documents) are scanned and stored inside the 

document management system (DMS), classifying them by IMO Number (international 

identifier for new vessels) or by the ACP’ Ship Identification Number (ACP unique 

identifier for modified vessels). All this procedure is performed outside of the 

operational systems. 

Used software and tools: AutoCad, Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel), FileNet (DMS), 

Telephone / Fax 

Radio Pratique Approval 

The Admesurement and Billing Unit offers to vessels planning on visiting the Panama 

Canal the option of reducing their waiting time by requesting a Radio Pratique to allow 

ACP personnel to complete pre-inspection activities and determine ahead of time if an 

admeasurement inspection will require to be scheduled for the vessel on arrival. 

Primarily vessels requiring bunker services and supplies from the shipping agent before 

they are cleared by ACP may submit a radio pratique request through the EDCS system 

at least 96 hours before arrival. Once the request is submitted, the system notifies via 

email to the Admeasurement Research of a new request. 

The Admeasurement Research will approve or reject the radio pratique request based 

on the revision of quarantine information submitted by the vessel previously for the visit 

using the EVTMS system. If the request is rejected, an additional inspection may be 

required to be schedule for the vessel incrementing the waiting time in Canal waters. 

Used software and tools: EVTMS (Business Applications), Microsoft Office (Outlook). 

*** END OF DOCUMENT ***

RFI-ENGAGEMENT SERVICES FOR ... - Canal de PanamÃ¡

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?