PanCanal Building

PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY Albrook, Panama City

Republic of Panama
MERCHANT MARINE CIRCULAR MMC-285 Tel: (507) 501-5355
[email protected]

To: Ship-owners/Operators, of Panamanian Flagged Vessels, Class Societies and

Recognized Organizations (RO’s).

Subject: Principles of Minimum Safe Manning

Reference:
a) Resolution MSC. 325(90) of 24 May 2012 - Adoption of amendments
to the international convention for the safety of life at sea, 1974, as
amended, adopted by Resolution No. 106-OMI-118-DGMM
b) Resolution A. 1047(27) of 30 November 2011 – Principles of Minimum
Safe Manning adopted through Res. 106-OMI-117-DGMM
c) Resolution 106-147-DGMM of October 15, 2013.

Purpose

1. This Merchant Marine Circular supersedes MMC. No. 21, 43, 65 and 73.

Application

2. Chapter V regulation 14 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), as
amended establishes that Contracting Governments undertake, each for its national ships, to
maintain, or, if it is necessary, to adopt, measures for the purpose of ensuring that, from the point
of view of safety of life at sea, all ships shall be sufficiently and efficiently manned.

3. Effective as of January 1983, Panama registry requires that every Passenger and Cargo Vessel of
more than 200 GRT registered under the Panamanian Flag should have on board a Minimum Safe
Manning Certificate. As well on 1986 and 1987 the requirement for a "Minimum Safe Manning
Certificate" was extended to Mobile Offshore Drilling Units and Offshore Supply vessels
registered with Panama. The Administration has revised all the existing Resolutions regarding
the Rules for the Issuance of the Minimum Safe Manning Certificates contained in previous
Resolutions Nos.614-308-ALCN of 31 December 1982, 603-04-222-ALCN of 27 October 1986
and 603-04-42-ALCN of 8 April 1987, through Resolution No.106-147-DGMM of October 15,
2013.

4. Article 3 of Resolution MSC.325 (90) establishes that in accordance with article VIII (b) (vii) (2)
of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the amendments shall
enter into force on 1 January 2014.

5. Considering the aforementioned, this Administration Adopted the Resolution A.1047 (27) which
contains the Principles of Minimum Safe Manning, consisting of Guidelines for the application of
principles of safe manning; Guidelines for determination of minimum safe Guidance on contents
and model form of minimum safe manning document and Framework for determining minimum
Prepared by: Lawyer Revised by: Compliance and Enforcement Deputy Chief Aproved by: Compliance and Enforcement Chief
Control N°: F-RIN-04-01 Versión: 06 Date: August 1, 2016 Page 1 of 3
 safe manning.

6. Having considered the Content of the Resolution A.1047 (27), this Administration has changed
the form of the Minimum Safe Manning Certificate in order to be in accordance with the model
set out by the Resolution.

7. Minimum Safe Manning Certificate New forms will start being issued from 1 October 2013 for
vessels newly applying or requesting a new Minimum Safe Manning Certificate as well for
existing ships holding a Minimum Safe Manning Certificate. It is important to indicate that
Minimum Safe Manning Certificate already issued to Panamanian flag vessel will be re-issued at
no cost for registered ships holding a previous Minimum Safe Manning Certificate, just please
make sure to send your request for New Form of the Certificate together with copy of the SMC of
the vessel or in case of vessels less than 500 GRT confirming the Name of the Company
responsible for the operation of the ship. In cases of reissuance, please attach to your e-
mail, a copy of the latter MSM.

8. The period of validity of the Minimum Safe Manning Certificate is indefinite unless the
circumstances of equipment, trading area and type of service change enough to affect the
prescribed manning. The certificate is renewed every time there is a change of name of the vessel.

9. Furthermore the Administration stipulated as of 1 January 1987 the fee for issuance of this
certificate has been US$ 150.00.

New Form

10. Taking into account the great volume of Minimum Safe Manning Certificates that are going to be
re-issued, we strongly recommend, in order to avoid unnecessary delays while guaranteeing a
proper distribution of the work load, that the users of our Registry use, for this purpose, the
SEGUMAR office closer to their geographical area.

11. It is important to mention that the total main propulsion machinery power shall be stated in
Kilowatts (KW) which is the measure unit used for certification of chief engineer officers and
second engineer officers of ships powered by main propulsion machinery of between 750 KW
and 3,000 KW propulsion power.

12. All new application forms to request the minimum safe manning certificates are available in our
MMC. 191.

13. We remind you that our Administration is fully committed to grant you the best service in the
most prompt and efficient possible way.

14. Last but none the least, this Administration understood that some ships due to their size are
carrying personnel in addition to the minimum certified manning, and considering that many
times the manning does not include this personnel, the Administration has decided to include the
following notation on the Minimum Safe Manning Certificates as follows: “The certificate of
competency (CoC/CoP) provided shall also authorize the holder thereof to perform any lower
ranking position, as long as it is of the same nature as the one for which the respective CoC or
CoP was issued” for example in case that One Able Seaman (II/4) is not on board the Able
Seafarer Deck (II/5) could perform such duties.

New STCW regulations

15. In order to clarify some frequent inquiries about the STCW Manila Amendments 2010 in terms of
the Minimum Safe Manning Certificate:

Prepared by: Lawyer Revised by: Compliance and Enforcement Deputy Chief Aproved by: Compliance and Enforcement Chief
Control N°: F-RIN-04-01 Versión: 06 Date: August 1, 2016 Page 2 of 3
 a. The Able Seafarer Deck (ASD) and the Able Seafarer Engine (ASE), whose standards of
competence were included through STCW Convention’s Manila Amendments 2011
under the regulations II/5 and III/5 respectively will be inserted on the Minimum Safe
Manning Certificate as an alternative Grade / Capacity to the existing Rating forming part
of the Navigational Watch (II/4) and Rating forming part of a Watch in an Engine Room
(III/4).

b. The Electro-technical Officer (ETO) and the Electro-technical Rating (ETR) (whose
standards of competence are III/6 and III/7 respectively), also included through said
Amendments, are not mandatory to be inserted on the MSMC issued by this
Administration.

c. In virtue of the STCW Regulation I/14, companies will have responsibility to ensure if a
dedicated ETO is or not required onboard it vessels. Please bear in mind the contain of
IMO Res. A. 1047 (27), on submission from the Companies for determination of the
minimum safe manning of a ship, which should be based on operational functions,
Operational factors, task capabilities and workload assessments.

16. Considering the above described, the Minimum Safe Manning Certificate of a ship could be
amended by this Administration if, after an evaluation and request submitted by the company, is
determined that an additional Grade/ Capacity on it is required to ensure that its ship/unit is
sufficiently, effectively and efficiently manned.

17. In case of having questions related to Certificate of Competence (CoC), Certificate of

Competence’s Endorsement, Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) or any other consultation of
certification to be held by Seafarers onboard, in those particular cases, they shall directly be sent
to our colleagues of the Directorate General of Seafarer whose email addresses are as follow:
[email protected]
[email protected]

August, 2016 – Amendment to paragraph 14 and adding point 15 to 17.

July, 2014 – Adding new point 2 and point 3; renumbering points 2, 3, 4 and 5 as 4, 5, 6 and 7; adding new point 8 and 9; and
renumbering point 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 as 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.
December, 2013 – Modification of point 5 and addition of new point 10 and reference c).
September, 2013 – Modification of point 5 and addition of new points 6 and 9
September, 2013

Inquiries concerning the subject of this Circular or any request should be directed to:
Directorate General of Merchant Marine
Panama Maritime Authority
Phone: (507) 501-548/5350/5358
E-mail: [email protected];
[email protected].

Prepared by: Lawyer Revised by: Compliance and Enforcement Deputy Chief Aproved by: Compliance and Enforcement Chief
Control N°: F-RIN-04-01 Versión: 06 Date: August 1, 2016 Page 3 of 3