PanCanal Building

PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY Albrook, Panama City

Republic of Panama
MERCHANT MARINE CIRCULAR MMC-167 Tel: (507) 501-5355
[email protected]

To: Ship-owners/Operators, Company Security Officers, Legal

Representatives of Panamanian Flagged Vessels, Panamanian Merchant
Marine Consulates and Recognized Organizations (ROs).

Subject: Crew Boat Requirements

Reference: Circular Letter No. 5 April 7, 1982

1- The purpose of this Circular is to inform users of the Panamanian Registry that this
Administration has decided that based on the SOLAS Convention definitions, a vessel that
carries more than 12 passengers is categorized as a passenger ship. Since a crew boat
normally carries over 12 passengers (comprising offshore crew and marine service
suppliers), it is therefore required to comply with passenger vessels regulations.

2- However, a crew boat is unique in the sense that it is only a small coastal vessel serving
offshore or marine personnel working in the offshore industry.

3- Based on Regulation 5 of Chapter I of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at
Sea, (SOLAS) 1974, which establishes that Administrations may allow other provisions to
be accepted if it is satisfied that the provisions accepted are; at least, as effective as the
required by the regulations, and, taking into account the fact that crew boats only operate in
fair weather and the reliability of search and rescue capabilities in the areas of operation,
the Government of the Republic of Panama on October 1982, presented to the IMO a
statement giving notification of the acceptance of the provisions of the Executive Decree
No. 45 of 21 December 1981 for cargo vessels under 500 gross tons as being equivalent to
the provisions of the regulations for passenger ships to allow crew boats to operate in the
transport of workers between shore and offshore facilities, provided that the vessels meet
the requirements of Circular letter No.5 of 07 April 1982 on Certification of Crew Boats,
issued by the Directorate of Consular and Maritime Affairs.

4- Taking into consideration that since 1982 many new Regulations have come into force and
that the use of Executive Decree No. 45 as a standard for crew boats actually is not
covering some additional requirements that must apply to crew boats, this Administration
has decide to elaborate new Guidelines for the Certification of Panamanian Registered
Crew Boats.

5- This new Guidelines for the Certification of Panamanian Registered Crew Boats are an
contained in this Merchant Marine Circular
Prepared by: Translator Revised by: Compliance and Aproved by: Compliance and
Enforcement Deputy Chief Enforcement Chief

Control N: F-RIN-04-01 Version: 05 Date: 21 January, 2013 Page 1 of 5

 GUIDELINES FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF PANAMANIAN

REGISTERED CREW BOATS

The present guidelines are issued in order to clarify the technical requirements and certification
procedure applicable to Panamanian crew boats in the international service.

REGULATIONS

The existing regulations require that:

a) Vessels carrying more than 12 industrial personnel shall comply with the requirements of
SOLAS 74 for passenger vessels.

b) Vessels carrying 12 or less industrial personnel shall comply with the applicable Panamanian
rules for cargo vessels in the international service.

c) Additionally, vessels of 24m in length or more shall comply with the requirements of Load
Line Conference, 1966.

It must be noted that most crew boats transport more than 12 industrial personnel (offshore
crew which is not engaged on the activities of the crew boat) and not passengers. Ships
transporting passengers shall therefore comply with SOLAS requirements for passengers. A
Passenger Ship Safety Certificate shall be issued to those vessels. However, due to the size and
traditional standards of construction, crew boats fail in general to meet the requirements of
SOLAS for passenger ships.

APPLICATION

These guidelines will apply immediately to crew boats newly registered and Panama vessels
already under Panamanian flag may continue operation on the present basis until expiration of
present certificates.

A crew boat shall not be classified as Passenger vessel and therefore the Decree Law No. 45
shall be used with additional requirements rather than complying.

The following ships may be considered as Crew boats provided that, in addition to their crew
and normal activities, they are engaged on the transportation of offshore crew and marine
service providers to installations offshore:

Utility boats for the purpose of transportation of spares;

Supply boat for the transportation of offshore supplies;
Security boat for patrolling offshore installations
Standby boat for evacuation purposes.

Prepared by: Translator Revised by: Compliance and Aproved by: Compliance and
Enforcement Deputy Chief Enforcement Chief

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CERTIFICATION

Certificates will be issued on behalf of the Republic of Panama by the approved organizations.

The Panamanian Administration authorizes the Recognized Organizations to issue Cargo Ship

Safety Certificate (Instead of Passenger-ship Safety Certificate) using Cargo Ship other than
any of the above (OSV) as type of ship.

A Limitation Clause must be inserted in the Safety Certificate for the Crew boat that carries
more than 12 persons, as follows:

Voyages not beyond 400 miles from coast;

Carriage of authorized personnel and crew/workers only for Marine Offshore Units.

According to Regulation I/5 of the SOLAS Convention, 1974, the Administration can accept
and apply requirements not strictly in conformance with those of the Convention as long as it is
satisfied that the resulting levels of safety are equivalent to those of the Convention. For vessels
up to 100 GRT, to attain such levels, the Administration will prescribe adherence to the
Panamanian Rules for Cargo Vessels under 500 GRT in service outside the Jurisdictional
Waters of the Republic of Panama to at least the same extent that would be required for cargo
vessels of 100 GRT and 24 meters in length in unrestricted trade, with the following
exceptions:

a) For all vessels under 24 meters in length, an approved stability letter may be accepted in
lieu of the trim and stability information and calculations required by Article 10 of the
Rules.

b) Engine tachometers shall be considered equivalent to the propeller tachometers required

by Article 11 of the Rules.

c) In vessels with mechanical, hydraulic or duplicated electric remote engine control, the
engine room telegraph indicated in Article 11 of the Rules shall not be required.

d) In twin screw vessels, the emergency steering system indicated in Article 13 of the
Rules will not be required.

e) In vessels of less than 24 meters in length, only two fire hydrants shall be required,
instead of the three hydrants indicated in Article 14 of the Rules.

f) The fixed fire-extinguishing system indicated in Article 14 of the Rules shall be

required.

g) Quick release life rings required to be installed at the bridge wings by Article 17 of the
Rules can be installed at other suitable locations if vessel has no wings.

Prepared by: Translator Revised by: Compliance and Aproved by: Compliance and
Enforcement Deputy Chief Enforcement Chief

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 h) In aluminum hull vessels, the main compass required by Article 23 of the Rules, can be
located in the wheelhouse.

i) Notwithstanding, the requirements stated in Article 17 of the Rules, the survival craft
capacity shall never be less nor need to be more than three or more survival crafts of
approved type (lifeboats, life crafts or combination of either) with an aggregate capacity
for 125% of the persons on board. The equipment and launching appliance of these
crafts shall comply with the requirements of the Rules. No rescue boat shall be
required.

j) The vessel shall have a collision bulkhead located at a distance of not less than 5% and
not more than 15% of the length of the vessel abaft the item at the loaded waterline.
The bulkhead shall be of strong construction in which only watertight pipe or cable
penetrations may be permitted. The vessels shall have additional internal watertight
subdivisions complying with the following requirements:

1) Vessels carrying more than 150 industrial personnel shall meet the damage
stability requirements of Chapter II-1 of SOLAS 74 with a subdivision
factor equal to unity.

2) Vessels carrying up to 150 industrial personnel may either comply with 1,

above or alternatively be fitted with watertight bulkheads spaced so the
lengths of the compartments do not exceed the maximum permissible
lengths indicated in Annex I to this circular.

k) A Safety Management System based in the ISM Code is to be implemented in the

Company following recommendations specified in IMO Res A.863(20), Code of Safe
Practice for the Carriage of Cargoes and persons by Offshore Supply Vessels (OSV
Code).

l) The requirements of the ISPS Code may be applied to the Company.

m) Panama crew boat less than 300 GRT and carrying more than 12 personnel has to
comply with Decree No. 45. In addition, equipment regardless of the size, such as the
following:

VHF (or VHF with DSC) radiotelephone

SSB (or MF with DSC) radiotelephone (for voyage exceeding 20 miles from coast)
Prepared by: Translator Revised by: Compliance and Aproved by: Compliance and
Enforcement Deputy Chief Enforcement Chief

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 A satellite EPIRB (as secondary alert system)

Radar Transponder (for pin-pointing vessels in distress)

Crew boat of 300 GRT will need to comply with SOLAS registration pertaining to GMDSS
requirement corresponding with the tonnage.
Notwithstanding the provisions above

a. Crew Boats that have been built under specific regulations for this type of ship to sail
without restrictions and; comply with the provisions of the Executive Decree No. 45 of
21 December 1981 for cargo vessels under 500 gross tons; will not be restricted by this
circular. These crew boats should show evidence of the Class regulations under which
they were built and their class certificate.

b. Utility, supply, security and standby boats that are also engaged on the transportation of
offshore crew and; are capable of providing sheltered inclining seats for each
worker/offshore personnel being transported to offshore units will not be restricted by
this circular provided that they comply with the SOLAS or decree 45 provisions for
cargo ships according to their tonnage.

April, 2013 form modification and addition of missing Annex I

August, 2012 General modification of entire text
July, 2008

Inquiries concerning the subject of this Circular or any request should be directed to:
SEGUMAR-Panama
Directorate General of Merchant Marine
Panama Maritime Authority
Phone: (507) 501-5348 / 5350
Fax: (507) 501-5363 / 5364
E-mail: [email protected]/[email protected]

Prepared by: Translator Revised by: Compliance and Aproved by: Compliance and
Enforcement Deputy Chief Enforcement Chief

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