NL 192/17 | New Panama Flag Regulation for the use of the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS)

Nov 30, 2017

Refers to: Owners / Managers /Operators of Panamanian flagged vessels, PHRS Representatives/Surveyors
Action Date: November 30th, 2017


Panama Maritime Authority has recently revised the instructions and procedures on the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) according to SOLAS 74, Chapter XI-2 Reg. 6, as amended.

Existing requirements (basic)

According of Section 9 Part A of the ISPS Code, each ship requires implementing a Ship Security Plan (SSP) approved by its Flag State or by a Recognized Security Organization.

All the Panamanian flagged vessels shall be provided with a Ship Security Alert System (SSAS), as instructed in the SOLAS 74’, as amended (Chapter XI-2 Regulation 6, paragraph #1). The SSAS shall be capable of transmit a security alert to a designated, competent authority when activated in an emergency situation.


According to MMC-133, all the Companies must include the following e-mail addresses as recipient’s address of the SSAS alerts / tests, on board the Panamanian Flagged vessels:
•    threat@amp.gob.pa , and / or
•    authorizations@segumar.com (optional)

The CSO designated by the Company has to obtain an Endorsement from the Panama Maritime Administration in order to comply with the duties and responsibilities on behalf of the Company, as per MMC-206. This has to be done BEFORE the issue of INTERIM ISSC by the RSO.

 

The SSO must ensure that at least one security drill is conducted once every three months to promote the effective implementation of the Ship Security Plan,

 

The Company Security Officer shall ensure the effective coordination and implementation of Ship Security Plans by participating in exercises at appropriate intervals.
Exercises should be carried out at least once each calendar year with no more than 18 months between the exercises.

All RSO’s must verify in the initial verification that the SSAS system is working properly, performing a real TEST and sending it to threat@amp.gob.pa   in order to confirm receipt.

Amendments

Until 15 December 2017, all CSOs  shall verify the CSO information in PMA’ data base, by completing and send the CSO Validation Form (which can be found here) with the information required to the following addresses: isps@amp.gob.pa  and info@panama-ssas.com  

After 15 December 2017, CSOs shall apply for the endorsement or revalidate the information through the online application ( http://certificates.amp.gob.pa/certificates  )

From 30 November 2017 all the CSO that already send the Validation Form described in the above paragraph or apply through the CSO Endorsement online application by the website link: http://certificates.amp.gob.pa/certificates  will receive an email from info@panama-ssas.com  with their credentials and the instructions for Annual SSAS testing.

As from 01 January 2018, all ships flying Panama Flag which complying and certified according to the ISPS Code shall carry out annual SSAS TEST with PMA which will be send through the use of an electronic platform for the Supply and Operation of the Ship Identification and Monitoring System. Ship Owners/ Managers/ Operators of vessels flying Panama Flag, through the CSOs have the responsibility to schedule, through the platform, the annual tests of SSAS TEST in a period no longer than twelve (12) months and the confirmation message of the annual SSAS TEST must be retained on board.

For ships entering the Panama Flag after 01 January 2018, the first SSAS TEST must be scheduled through the use of the new platform, which must be verified by their RSO during the initial verification and from that date onwards, every twelve (12) months. In those cases, it is required that the CSO designed by the Company Operator already has the Declaration of Company Security Officer duly endorsement by PMA, as per MMC-206, in order to schedule the first SSAS TEST.

Only one annual SSAS TEST is mandatory. In case of vessels that perform more than one test and require a flag confirmation they should not schedule it through the platform, in those cases they also have to use the below SSAS TEST message information and send an email directly to threat@amp.gob.pa

 

Please click here for the revised Merchant Marine Circular (MMC -113) regarding the new regulation for the use of the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS).

Please click here for the revised Merchant Marine Circular (MMC – 353) regarding the updated information to the Company Security Officer (CSO).


For more information regarding this issue please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

November 29th, 2017 - PHRS Head Office