Technical Circular No: 009/2026
1. The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has issued below mentioned Marine Maritime Notices giving information on deficiencies identified by the China MSA and Black Sea MoU on Panamanian-flagged vessels in the year 2025:
- MMN-06/2026-Deficiencies identified by the China MSA on Panamanian-flagged vessels arriving at or operating within China jurisdictional waters in 2025.
- MMN-07/2026-Deficiencies identified by the Black Sea MoU on Panamanian-flagged vessels arriving at or operating within Black Sea MoU waters in 2025.
2. The above-mentioned Merchant Marine Notices highlights the expectations of Port State Control Officers during inspections conducted by the China MSA and Black Sea MoU and underscores the importance of:
- Effective Safety Management System implementation.
- Robust onboard maintenance programs.
- Proper preparation prior to arrival at ports.
- Continuous compliance with statutory and operational requirements.
3. Vessel Owners, ISM Managers, and Masters are advised to review the above-mentioned Marine Maritime Notices and ensure that the listed deficiencies in these notices are not present onboard their vessel. Where any deficiencies are identified, corrective actions are taken in accordance with their ISM procedures prior to arrival at port.
4. Furthermore, the Administration strongly advises Vessel Owners, ISM Managers, and Masters to ensure strict adherence to applicable international conventions, PMA circulars, and industry best practices, with particular reference to the following:
- Merchant Marine Circular No. MMC-404.
Measures adopted to enhance the performance of the Panamanian Merchant Fleet – Pre-arrival checklist for ports under the Port State Control (PSC).
- Merchant Marine Circular No. MMC-384.
Guidelines for appeals process against Port State Control deficiencies/detentions.
Enclosure:
This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.