With the commitment to carry out
a transparent and efficient management of the Panama Maritime Authority, we
are announcing today a series of measurements that will guarantee the betterment
of Panama's image, at a national and international level, thus placing the
maritime sector as an axis for the development of this country.
Firstly, we are announcing that for complaints submitted by the users of the
Panamanian Registry of Ships, that were prejudice by a decision taken by the
former Administration that authorized only three Recognized Organizations
the approval of Security Plans for Ships, we have issued Resolution No.29,
dated 15 September 2004.
This Resolution authorizes. AMERICAN BUREAU OF SHIPPING (ABS); BUREAU VERITAS
(BV); CHINA CLASSIFICATION SOCIETY (CSS); DET NORSKE VERITAS (DNV); GERMANISCHER
LLOYD (GL); LLOYD´S REGISTER (LR); NIPÓN KAIJI KYOKAY (NKK);
REGISTRO ITALIANO NAVALE (RINA); KOREAN REGISTER OF SHIPPING (KRS); PANAMA
BUREAU OF SHIPPING S.A. (PBS); PANAMA MARITIME QUALITY SERVICES, INC; CHINA
CORPORATION OF SHIPPING; MARITIME SECURITY BUREAU, INC; MARINE BUREAU, INC
(MB); HELLENIC REGISTER OF SHIPPING Y FERRIBY MARINE, to carry out evaluations
and the approval of such plans.
The Panama Maritime Authority considers the services rendered to the fleet
cannot be monopolized, besides being harmful for users, they loose their options
to choose, within a free market, the services required by vessels.
This Administration believes, the criteria used to limit to three Companies,
the management of Recognized Security Organizations, does not comply with
the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS). On the contrary,
the separation of the Certification process in phases, where other companies
could not intervene, economically harmed ship owners within the Panamanian
Registry.
Be also advised, that subsequently, other Organizations will be authorized
the approval of Security Plans for Ships under the Panamanian flag, and in
that sense, measurements will be taken to order audits to processes used by
the organizations performing this service.
The second measurement, we are announcing is that the Panama Maritime Authority,
through its General Directorate of Marine and Coastal Resources, has begun
a revision and delivering process of fishing licenses and permits, which were
not being delivered to fishermen, preventing the development of this important
activity at sea. This with ends to give compliment to Executive Decree 124
dated 8 November 1990.
In this sense, today,
Thursday, September 16, we are beginning the delivering process to fishermen
and ship owners of their fishing permits and licenses.
Pending for delivery
are 196 fishing licenses, 823 fishing permits and 11 international fishing
licenses.
Finally, today we
will deliver licenses to pilots in Charco Azul Bay and Chiriqui Grande, that
were retained by the former Administration, making it clear that from now
on we are taking the correctives for the transparency and celerity in the
license process, through the General Directorate of Seafarers, with ends to
make out of this country a true International Maritime Center.