Panama’s Maritime Authority has started accepting applications for its approval of ships’ Ballast Water Management Plans (BWMPs). Since 15 March, shipowners have been able to upload their BWMPs to the authority’s website for approval. A certificate will be provided electronically that should be placed on board the ship.

Full details are included in the authority’s Merchant Marine Circular, MMC-345, which was issued in February.

From the same date, applications for full International Ballast Water Management Certificates (IBWMCs) have also been accepted online and are issued as electronic certificates that can be printed when needed. These applications should follow surveys by recognised organisations, who are authorised to issue provisional IBWMCs valid for a maximum of five months.

The same circular also reports that ballast water management systems (BWMSs) that have been type-approved by other administrations will be accepted on Panama-flagged ships provided they have been approved in accordance with IMO’s Guidelines on the Type-Approval process for BWMS (The original G8 Guidelines, Resolution MEPC.174(58) or as revised in October 2016, Resolution MEPC.279(70)) as applicable.