F-33

(DCCM)
V.04

Panama Maritime Authority

General Directorate of Merchant Marine
Control and Compliance Department

MERCHANT MARINE CIRCULAR MMC-285

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

Recognized Organizations.

Subject: Principles of Minimum Safe Manning.

Reference: a) Resolution MSC.325(90) of May 24, 2012 - Adoption of amendments to the

International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), 1974, as
amended, adopted by Resolution No. 106-OMI-118-DGMM date September 2,
2013.
b) Resolution A.1047(27) of November 30, 2011 – Principles of Minimum Safe
Manning adopted through Resolution 106-OMI-117-DGMM date August 22,
2013.
c) Resolution No. 106-176-DGMM dated December 15, 2021, revoke
Resolution 106-147-DGMM of October 15, 2013.

Purpose
1. This Merchant Marine Circular supersedes MMC-21, MMC-43, MMC-65 and MMC-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 Panama Flag should have on board a
Minimum Safe Manning Certificate. As well in 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 revised all the
existing resolutions regarding the Rules for the Issuance of the Minimum Safe Manning
Certificates contained in previous Resolutions No. 614-308-ALCN of December 31, 1982,
 Resolution No. 603-04-222-ALCN of October 27, 1986 and Resolution No. 603-04-42-
ALCN of April 8, 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 January 1, 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 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. A new review of the Republic of Panama Rules for the issuance of the Minimum Safe
Manning Certificate (MSMC) has been approved by Resolution No. 106-176-DGMM dated
December 15, 2021 and posted through the Republic of Panama Official Gazette of
January 7th, 2022.

8. According to the new revised Rules the MSMC applies to vessels holding a Registry
Certificate for International Service:

8.1. Supply vessels regardless of their gross tonnage,

8.2. offshore support vessels regardless of their gross tonnage,
8.3. tugs regardless of their gross tonnage, yachts,
8.4. mobile offshore units, all cargo ships of 200 gross tonnage and above,
8.5. passenger ships of 200 gross tonnage and above.

9. Second Article of the Rules of MSMC exclude the following vessels:

9.1. Fishing vessels,

9.2. Floating Production Storage Offloading Units (FPSO),
9.3. Floating Storage Units (FSU), not propelled,
9.4. Warships, naval auxiliaries or other ships owned or operated by a State and engaged
only on governmental non-commercial service,
9.5. Wooden ships of primitive build,
9.6. Ships not propelled by mechanical means,
10. This Administration is aware that under international law, Coastal States may impose their
own regime of safety and pollution prevention requirements to vessels operating within
their jurisdictional waters; therefore, the vessels listed in point 9 above-mentioned, will not
be required to have a Minimum Safe Manning Certificate (MSMC), unless a Coastal State
provides otherwise.

11. In events where FPSOs/FSUs have to be disconnected and moved off location to avoid
adverse/severe environmental conditions/loads, for dry-docking repair or maintenance
work, it is recommended that they possess a level of safety equivalent to that afforded by
the SOLAS; therefore, an authorization to ensure such safety level could be issued by this
Administration through Segumar Offices, as a transitional measure until the event is
completed and the FPSO/FSU returns to its stationary location.

12. 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 shall be renewed every time that there is a change of
name of the vessel, call sign and/or Company.

13. Furthermore, the Administration stipulated as of January 1, 1987 the fee for issuance of
this certificate has been USD150.00.

New Form
14. Minimum Safe Manning Certificate in new forms is being issued since October 1, 2013 for
vessels newly applying or requesting a new Minimum Safe Manning Certificate as well for
existing ships holding a Minimum Safe Manning Certificate. Since August 1st, 2018,
Minimum Safe Manning Certificates (MSM E-Certificate) (for cargo, passenger, supply
vessels & tug boats), shall be requested through E-Segumar, therefore the period of grace
to re-issue existing MSM Certificates at no-cost have ceased. You may apply for the MSM
E-Certificate online to the Segumar Office of your convenience. In case of Mobile Offshore
Units please contact [email protected]

15. It is important to indicate that the total main propulsion machinery power shall be stated in
Kilowatts (kW) at the time of your application. Kilowatts (kW) is the unit measure 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.

16. Other applications forms to request the minimum safe manning certificate to Mobile
Offshore Unites is available in https://panamashipregistry.com/forms-requirements/ option
“Maritime Safety”, then option “Segumar”.
17. We remind you that our Administration is fully committed to grant you the best service in
the most prompt and efficient possible way.

18. 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
most of the times the manning does not include this personnel, the Administration has
decided to include the following notation within 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

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

19.1. The Able Seafarer Deck (ASD) and the Able Seafarer Engine (ASE), whose
standards of competence were included through STCW Convention’s Manila
Amendments 2010 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).

19.2. 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.

19.3. By 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 content 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.

20. Considering the above described, the MSMC of a vessel 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.
21. 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 available in MMC-175.

January, 2022 – References amended. Paragraphs 7,8,9,12,14,15,16,20 and 21

revised/added.
August, 2019 – previous paragraphs 10 and 13 deleted. New paragraph 12 added,
paragraphs 13 and 14 amended. From paragraphs 10 and on, renumbered.
October, 2017 - Paragraphs 7, 8 and 9 added, after than all paragraphs has been
renumbered. Typo error amended in subparagraphs a) and c) of paragraph 18.
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 Merchant Marine Circular or any other request should
be forward to:

SEGUMAR Head Office

General Directorate of Merchant Marine
Panama Maritime Authority

Phone: (507) 501-5358 / 53 / 50 / 48

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
Website: https://panamashipregistry.com/circulars/