Refers to: Owners and Operators of Panamanian flagged vessels, PHRS Representatives/ Surveyors
Action Date: Immediate
With regards to PHRS NL192/17 (which can be found here) regarding the instructions and procedures on the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS) from Panama Maritime Authority, recently PMA has updated the pertinent instructions and procedures on the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS)
According to MMC-133,
- Company Security Officers (CSOs) of vessels under Panama flag, must apply to PMA for the revalidation of their information through the online application (http://certificates.amp.gob.pa/certificates). Once this is done, the CSOs will receive an email from info@panama-ssas.com with their credentials and the instructions for Annual SSAS testing.
- 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
- In those cases that the SSAS terminal has not been configured with the main email address threat@amp.gob.pa, PMA has granted a period until August 31th, 2019 to make all the necessary arrangement to configure the SSAS terminal.
- All applicant ships under Panama flag, they must schedule an annual SSAS test with PMA through the use of the SSAS platform https://polestarglobal.force.com/SSAS/login. In order to comply with this requirement, the SSAS terminal has been configured with the main email address threat@amp.gob.pa, the company operator shall request access to the PMA’ SSAS platform by email to the e-mail address: info@panama-ssas.com, and should submit copy of the last Declaration of Company Security Officer (CSO) endorsed by this Administration in order to receive an email from info@panama-ssas.com, with their access credentials and instructions for using the platform and be able to schedule the FIRST annual SSAS TEST.
- Only one annual SSAS TEST is mandatory and must be scheduled through the SSAS platform in the following link: https://polestarglobal.force.com/SSAS/login , in a period no longer than twelve (12) calendar months and can be scheduled 24 hours in advance.
After the SSAS TEST is made, a confirmation message shall be sent from PMA through the SSAS platform. This confirmation message must be retained on board the ship as evidence during the ISPS verification, which must be verified by their RSO during the INITIAL ISSC verification.
PHRS Security Auditors are instructed to verify the compliance with the Flag requirement at the Initial ISSC Audits.
With respect to vessels passing in High Risk Areas (HRS):
- PMA recommends that all Panamanian Flagged vessels with or without armed or unarmed security personnel, and that prior to the entry into the High Risk Area (HRA), the crew should be fully briefed on the preparations and a piracy drill shall be conducted as well.
- The security drill should be reviewed and all personnel briefed on their duties, including familiarization with the alarm using to identify a piracy attack.
- These drills must to schedule through the SSAS platform in following link: https://polestarglobal.force.com/SSAS/login, indicating that it is a “Piracy Drill” or “SSAS Test”, at the same time the Panamanian Flagged vessels are requested to verify that the SSAS equipment have been correctly set-up and is working properly.
- These measures should be taken to ensure that the security procedures are working properly along with the recommendations stated in the Best Management Practices BMP (last version) and the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) established in the Merchant Marine Circulars No. 208 and No.238.
Please click here for the revised Merchant Marine Circular (MMC -133) regarding the updated regulation for the use of the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS).
For any further information please feel free to contact PHRS Head Office or any other PHRS office near you.
May 27th, 2019 - PHRS Head Office