Panama Ship Registry Modernizes Ship Registration

The Panama Ship Registry has announced it will integrate in a single platform “Electronic Ship Registration System (ESRS)” the present systems used by Panama Maritime Authority’s General Directorate of Merchant Marine (Ship Registry) and General Directorate of Public Property registry of Ships (ownership titles and mortgage registration), to simplify the process of ship registration. 

The new global system will include innovations adapted to the existing technology and improvements to the registration process.
“The integration in a single platform will facilitate the procedure for the user, which is our prime goal,” said Rafael Cigarruista, Director of Merchant Marine and head of the Panama Ship Registry.

The main features of the registration, such as certificate of ship registration, cancellations, mortgage registration, ships and radios licenses, property and encumbrances certificates and discounts, name reservation and general documents for the vessel, will continue to be available on the platform.

The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) is calling an international tender before end-2019/first quarter of 2020 for companies interested in providing the software. “The implementation will take place in phases and should be fully operational by end-2020,” added Cigarruista.
“The users, ship owners, operators, managers, banks and/or law firms, will be able to use the platform directly. At the end, they will deal with only one system. The PKI system, used to date only by lawyers, will be integrated. The platform will be versatile in different languages. This new system will position us in the global era.”

The ESRS will offer Electronic Signature: All documents will be signed electronically; this functionality involves an agreement with the Public Registry of Panama and its General Directorate of Electronic Signature. Electronic Registration Certificates (ship patent, radio licenses et al) using QR and/or bar code, will be accessible for printing.

Payment Gateway: All different methods of payment currently used such as credit and debit cards will be available.

Registration Calculator: Users will be able to calculate the costs for each operation, including discounts, through the web platform.

Issuance of Certifications Electronically: users will be able to request and receive their property and encumbrances certifications and electronically signed, in English and Spanish.

Electronic Apostille: The electronic issuance of the Apostille will facilitate the legalization procedures before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will increase the level of users’ satisfaction.

Online Tracking: An application (App) for mobile devices will make possible to track the procedures executed and alerts will be sent by e-mail through the different stages of the registration process.

Statistics Module: ESRS will allow the management of reports, dynamic graphs and indicators for statistics data.

Validation of Tax Clear Certificate: The presentation of the Tax Clear Certificate will no longer be necessary for the procedures required by the General Directorate of Public Property Registry of Ships since validation will be carried out through the system.

Electronic Consular Authentication: The legalized certifications made by Panama’s Consuls may be carried out through the system and backed up by their electronic signature.

Source: Hellenic Shipping News