Panama Maritime Authority has notified that the Republic of Panama has ratified the 1988 SOLAS and Load Line Protocols on 17 September 2007 and Harmonized System of Survey and Certification (HSSC) will be applied to Panamanian flag ships on and after 17 February 2008 (See attached Merchant Marine Circular No.152).
Please be informed of the procedure dealing with this matter as follows.

1. For cargo ships, all statutory certificates are renewed with validity of 5 years at the first renewal survey of Cargo Ship Safety Construction (SC) on and after 17 February 2008. Accordingly, all the existing certificates remain valid until renewal survey of the existing SC Certificate.

2. In case where Cargo Ship Safety Equipment (SE) and/or Cargo Ship Safety Radio (SR) Certificate are/is renewed before the first renewal survey of SC on and after 17 February 2008, the SE and/or SR Certificate are/is issued using HSSC certificate form with the validity limited to the expiry date of the existing SC Certificate.

3. The latest renewal surveys of SE and/or SR completed within 3 months of the date of renewal survey of SC of the above 1 may be valid at the renewal survey of SC.

For any questions about the above, please contact:

NIPPON KAIJI KYOKAI (ClassNK)
Classification Department, Information Center, Head Office
Address: 1-8-5, Ohnodai, Midori-ku, Chiba, 267-0056, Japan
Tel.: +81-43-294-5784
Fax: +81-43-294-5449
E-mail: cld@classnk.or.jp

Attachment: Merchant Marine Circular No.152 issued by Panama Maritime Authority