MMC 208

PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY
MERCHANT MARINE CIRCULAR MMC-208
PanCanal Building
Albrook, Panama City
Republic of Panama
Tel: (507) 501-5355
To:
Master, Ship-owners, Operators, Company Security Officers, Ship Security

Officers, Panamanian Merchant Marine Consulates Legal Representative of
Panamanian Flagged Vessels, Recognized Organizations (ROs) and Recognized
Security Organizations (RSOs) of Panamanian Flagged Vessel.
Subject:
Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) and Compliance with

the Best Management Practices (BMP).
Reference:
IMO Resolution - A.1026 (26) adopted on 2 December 2009.

IMO MSC.1/Circ.1339 - Best Management Practices for Protection against Somalia
Based Piracy.
IMO SN.1/Circular.281 - Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC),
August 03, 2009.
Merchant Marine Circular No.230.
___________________________________________________________________________________
1. Objective
The purpose of this Merchant Marine Circular is to inform all parties related with the Panamanian flagged
vessels, about the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC), the Best Management Practices
(BMP), the Ships Reports, and the Contact Points of Coordinating Authorities whereby the ships entitled
to fly the Panamanian flag may request advice or assistance when sailing in waters off the coast of
Somalia and to which can report any security concerns about other ships, movements and/or
communications in the area.
2. Definitions
2.1 Piracy is defined in the article No.101 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS 82) as follows: Piracy consists of any of the following acts
(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the
crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed:
(i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such
ship or aircraft;
(ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State.
(b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts
making it a pirate ship or aircraft.
(c) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in sub-paragraph (1) or (2)
2.2 Armed robbery against ships is defined in the Code of Practice for the Investigation of Crimes of
Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships (resolution A.1025(26), Annex, paragraph 2.2), as follows:
Armed robbery against ships means any of the following act:
(a) any illegal act of violence or detention or any act of depredation, or threat thereof, other than an act of
piracy, committed for private ends and directed against a ship or against persons or property on board
such ships, within a States internal waters, archipelagic waters and territorial sea;
Prepared by: Translator
Control N: F-RIN-04-01
Revised by: Compliance and

Approved by: Compliance and
Enforcement Deputy Chief
Enforcement Chief
Version: 05
Date: 21 January, 2013
Page 1 of 3
(b) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described above.

3. Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC)
3.1 All the Panamanian flagged vessels are requested to use the IRTC, which includes the creation of
separate eastbound and westbound transit lanes. Each lane will be 5 nautical miles wide and will be separated
by a 2 nautical miles buffer zone.
3.2 As the IRTC is subject to changes by the military Authorities, according to prevailing circumstances, the
Panamanian flagged vessels are urged to obtain updated information from the Maritime Security Centre
Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) on the website address http://www.mschoa.org or from the NAV-warnings
promulgated for that area.
4. Best Management Practices (BMP)
4.1 All the Panamanian flagged vessels are requested, prior to transit or leaving a port within the region, to
follow the BMP and to contact the local information centers to get updated instructions on transit and
reporting.
4.2 It is anticipated that the BMP will be periodically updated based upon operational experience and lessons
learned. The Panamanian flagged vessels are urged to keep to the latest version of the BMP and verify it
with the designated information centers when approaching to the Gulf of Aden (GoA) and the Somali Basin.
4.3 Panamanian Flagged Vessels operating within the World Food Program (WFP) in the GoA and the
Somali basin, shall implement as far practicable, the BMP.
4.4 Statistics have shown that following the BMP, including suggested routing advisories, considerably
lessened the incidence of pirate attacks. These measures also help the Naval Forces in the area to protect the
vessels in transit.
4.5 The Panama Maritime Administration (PMA) if deems it necessary and in order to safeguard the safety
and security of the ship and the crew, may request the presence of trained and armed guards for the
protection of ships flying the Panama flag.
5. Report
5.1 This Administration recognizes that an essential part of preventing, deterring and suppressing attacks
from pirates, is the prompt reporting to the proper authorities and organizations involved, both during and
post incident. In this sense, all the Panamanian flagged vessels shall:
5.1.1 Report to UKMTO Dubai while operating in the area, and increase the periodicity of report
when navigating in known high risk areas and further report when passing A or B on the IRTC.
5.1.2 Report to UKMTO Dubai and the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) any sighted suspect
mother-pirate ships.
5.1.3 Report to UKMTO Dubai (immediately) when a pirate attack is imminent.
5.2 After an incident, the company shall inform the Administration, as instructed in the Merchant Marine
Circular No. 231.
6. Additional Security Measures
6.1 All the Panamanian flagged vessels transiting through High Risk Areas (HRA), have to raise the
Security Level according to their Ship Security Plan (SSP).
6.2 The Panama Maritime Authority recommends that all the crew of the Panamanian Flagged vessels,
and that prior to the entry into the High Risk Area (HRA), should be fully briefed on the preparations and
a piracy drill shall be conducted as well, as instructed in the Merchant Marine Circular No. 230.
6.3 The Panamanian Flagged vessels are requested to verify that the SSAS equipment have been correctly
set-up and is working properly through a SSAS Test, which must be reported to the PMA contacts, as
instructed in the Merchant Marine Circular No. 133.
6.4 If any additional security measures are required (other than BMP), shall be approved by the Panama
Maritime Authority.


Enforcement Chief
Version: 05
Page 2 of 3
7. The below documentation for your reference regarding this subject matter:
IMO Resolution - A.1026 (26) adopted on 2 December 2009. Click here
IMO SN.1/Circular.281 - Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). Click here
Anti-Piracy Planning Chart - 66090 Rea Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. Click here
IMO MSC.1/Circ.1339 - Best Management Practices for Protection against Somalia Based Piracy. Click here
MSCHOA official document Why is it necessary to report vessel positions to UKMTO and to register
vessel movements to MSCHOA? Click here
MSCHOA Registration Points (Geographical positions). Click here
IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) Contact Info. Click here
For further assistance and/or inquiries please note the following contact points:
A. Maritime Ships Security Department (weekdays 08:30-16:30 hrs)
Phone: +507-501-5037/5085
E-mail address: [email protected]
B. SEGUMAR Panama (Evenings, Weekends and Holidays)
Phone: +507-501-5350/48 or +507-501-5032
E-mail address: [email protected]
Inquiries concerning the subject of this Circular or any request should be directed to:
Maritime Ships Security Department
Directorate General of Merchant Marine
Panama Maritime Authority
Phone: (507) 501-5037 / 5068
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
November, 2015 - Changes through the whole text

November, 2011 - Update of hyperlink
March, 2011


Enforcement Chief
Version: 05
Page 3 of 3

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PANAMA MARITIME AUTHORITY

MERCHANT MARINE CIRCULAR MMC-208

Master, Ship-owners, Operators, Company Security Officers, Ship Security

Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) and Compliance with

IMO Resolution - A.1026 (26) adopted on 2 December 2009.

Revised by: Compliance and

(b) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described above.

Prepared by: Translator

Revised by: Compliance and

November, 2015 - Changes through the whole text

Prepared by: Translator

Revised by: Compliance and

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