RESTRICTIONS TO NON-NATIONALS

CIRCULAR No. DGGM-002

  1. We kindly communicate to all user of Panama Ship registry, the restrictive measures of the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) with respect to the recognition of seafarers ‘technical documentation issued by other Maritime administration of States Parties to the 1978 STCW Convention, as amended.
  2. The PMA shall recognize by endorsement any Certificate of Competency (CoC) or Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) issued by a country on the list of States Parties to the STCW’78 Convention, as amended, to which the PMA recognizes the Certificates of Competency and Certificates of Proficiency, as indicated in Circular No. DGGM-001, except for the restrictive measure established for in paragraph # 4 of this Circular.
  3. For the purposes of this Circular, the term NON-NATIONAL refers to any person who was not born or naturalized in the country whose Maritime Administration has issued the technical documentation held by the person for endorsement or any other process before the PMA, therefore, there is no link or relationship between the person and the country issuing the document.
  4. The PMA establishes as a restrictive measure that it does not recognize by endorsement or for any other process, the Certificate of Competency (CoC), Certificate of Proficiency (CoP), Course Certificate and Seaman´s Book issued to a NON-NATIONAL person by the Maritime Administrations of the following States Parties:
    1. Belize.
    2. Bolivia.
    3. Cook Islands.
    4. Dominica.
    5. Honduras.
    6. Mauritania.
    7. Palau.
    8. Samoa.
    9. Sin Maarten.
    10. Syrian Arab Republic.
    11. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
    12. Vanuatu.
  5. The PMA reserves the right to establish requirements of additional supporting documentation as part of the requirements within the process of recognition by endorsement of Certificates of Competency (CoC), Certificates of Proficiency (CoP), Course Certificates, Seaman’s Book or any other documentary evidence. The PMA shall establish the requirement of additional supporting documentation for endorsement or any other process, through the mechanisms determined by this Maritime Administration for such purpose.
  6. The PMA does not recognize, or process seafarers‘ technical documentation issued by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). The is due to numerous and repeated reports from the General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and resolutions issued by the United Nations Security Council (UN). Therefore, because of the Republic of Panama has been a member of the United Nations since November 13th, 1945, it is our obligation to fulfill the established precepts and provisions.
  7. The PMA requests all interested parties to take all necessary measures for due compliance with this Circular.

For more information please contact us: conpanamahamburgo@mire.gob.pa