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The PMA Supported The Transshipment From Ship To Ship Of About 86 Cruise Crew Members So They Can Be Repatriated To Their Original Countries

In order to collaborate with the seafarers of diverse nationalities and with international shipping lines during this pandemic produced by the Coronavirus COVID-19, the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) in coordination with the Ministry of Health of Panama (MINSA) defined the docking point for the safe transshipment of about seventy (70) crew members on board of the two (2) passage ships docked in the Panama Bay.

As indicated on the Resolution of Board of Directors J.D. No. 032-2020 as well as on Resolution J.D. No. 047-2020, by means of which international navigation ships are granted safe docking spaces in the Republic of Panama, Panama has allowed the Cruises of the Carnival line: the Carnival Imagination and the Carnival Inspiration to perform the transshipment of their crew members towards the Carnival Miracle, so they can continue with the repatriation task.

It is important to highlight that these crew members who are healthy and free from COVID-19, have met all the biosecurity indications and do not represent contamination hazard for our waters neither do they risk the sanitary integrity of our nation. Each ship is using its own tenders, so they do not use any other type of vessel different from their own to perform the transferences.

The effective exchange of about sixteen (16) crew members of diverse nationalities, from the luxury cruise line Silversea Cruises, from the cruise Silver Muse towards the Silver Explorer, which will depart towards Asia, was also held on Panamanian waters.

The jurisdictional waters of the Republic of Panama have the due properties to hold activities such as ship docking and the granting of ancillary maritime services to the requesting ships.

Diverse analysis has been performed to determine the necessary anchor diameter for these ships to remain on site without representing a risk for their vessels. Therefore, new anchorage places within our waters have been analyzed in order to offer support to other ships in need. On these matters, we can indicate that several corporations have already notified us with their interest to arrive in Panamanian waters, within the next days.

These anchoring sites are analyzed based on each of the ships and their position within the electronic navigation chart. These are the considered aspects to make our waters, safe sites so the shipping lines can anchor their ships and receive a provisioning until further instructions.

Within these anchor sites, it is also allowed for the ship crew may be redeployed to a new ship in order to be repatriated and given the needed support for the seafarers to return to their original countries.

Each of these ships, are charged with fees due to navigation assistance, contamination and docking rights. This activity is also performed for fuel supply and the ships will be allowed to anchor with their onboard crew without grounding, unless there is a previous indication and authorization of the Ministry of Health of Panama (MINSA) in case humanitarian assistance is required.

These ships are requested with a series of additional information and strict protocols and for the time they remain in our waters, they shall comply with the regulations for exclusive receipt of maritime ancillary services, considering that these operations do not require direct human contact between the service providers and the ship crews, such as fuel and provisioning among other basic products for the regular operations of the ship.

It is also established that the docked ships shall comply with the regulations regarding avoidance of ocean pollution and integral disposal of waste applicable to all ports and shipyards of the Republic of Panama.
Source: Panama Maritime Authority

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