|
BOYD |
STEAMSHIP CORPORATION
AGENTS AT THE PANAMA CANAL FOUNDED IN 1909 |
Web: www.boydsteamship.com Email: operations@boydsteamship.com
PANAMA CANAL NEWS
May 30, 2007
Effective immediately, CUSTOMER
CODES that have not been used in a five year period will be deactivated by the
Customer Relations Unit. Customers, who may wish to reinstate a code that has
been deactivated, are required to send a written request in this regard to the
Customer Relations Unit.
Please be reminded that only the
owners, operators, or charterers, of a vessel that transits the Panama Canal
may be assigned a Customer Code.
The ACP utilizes the Customer
Code weighted ranking as the first tie-breaker criteria when two or more
vessels are competing for the same transit reservation slot. Therefore, it is
extremely important that the Customer Code used or provided for each vessel’s
visit be correct. Non-compliance with the Customer Code procedure by providing
false, incorrect, or deficient information constitutes a violation of the
Maritime Regulations for the Operation of the Panama Canal and may result in
fines that may range from $100 to $1,000,000.
For your ready reference, the
last revision of the Customer Code Issuance and Consolidation Procedure, which
was promulgated for your strict compliance, may be accessed through the
following link: http://www.pancanal.com/eng/maritime/customer-code-procedure.pdf
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
considers proper boarding facilities to be an absolute necessity to ensure the
safety of their personnel, as well as others using these facilities while
transiting the Canal. In order to promote awareness and compliance with Canal
requirements by vessels in Canal waters, the ACP will hold its Annual “Safe
Boarding Week” from June 25 through 29, 2007. During this period, the ACP will
emphasize and encourage safe boarding practices on all vessels arriving at the
waterway.
“Safe Boarding Week” activities
will involve inspections of boarding facilities by teams representing groups
who normally board transiting vessels, such as Admeasurers, Pilots, Deckhands,
Transit Vessel Inspectors, Canal Port Captains, Pilots, Chemists and Emergency
Response personnel, as well as ship’s agents.
This year the ACP will continue
promoting preventive measures to be taken in order to avoid the tripping hazard
created by the excess portion of the pilot ladders, which is very often laid
out on deck. The ACP suggests the use of a box-like structure to be placed over
the excess portion of the ladder that may be encountered at the embarkation
point on deck. This will provide for a flat, non-slippery surface as persons
transfer from the ladder to the deck of the vessel. This structure may be
permanent or may be constructed so that it is lightweight and portable allowing
for it to be used only as the situation warrants.
Vessels at both Cristobal and
Balboa anchorages will be boarded to inspect their boarding facility
arrangements utilizing the enclosed inspection checklist. Vessels´ Masters will
be provided with the results at the end of the inspection.
Those vessels deserving special
recognition for excellence will be presented with plaques that will be
forwarded through their local agents. Any vessel with boarding facilities
determined to be below the acceptable standards will be required to correct the
deficiencies prior to their transit.
On Monday, May 7, the Panama Canal
Authority (ACP) got one step closer to beginning its historic expansion with
the release of the first construction project tender (request for proposal
submission) for dry excavation along the north access channel on the Pacific
end of the Canal.
The Expansion Program adds a new lane
of traffic along the Panama Canal through the construction of a new set of
locks, which will double the tonnage capacity and allow the transit of
substantially larger vessels. The North Pacific channel excavation, which will
be located west of Pedro Miguel and locks, is the first of five dry excavation
projects that will help link the new Post-Panamax Locks on the Pacific end of
the Canal to the existing Gaillard Cut and represents approximately 16 percent
of the total excavation for the new Pacific Locks Access Channel.
The scope of work under the contract
will include: the removal of non-classified material and disposal of excavated
material at indicated locations, and the construction of new gravel roads and
ditches.
"We are making history with the
release of the first construction project tender. The Expansion is moving
forward with good progress," said ACP Engineering and Programs Management
Director Jorge L. Quijano. "We hope to attract firms with significant
experience in this type of work as we begin this important phase of the
project."
Information about this tender (No.
67252) is now available through the ACP's online bidding system (SLI), http://www.pancanal.com/esp/procsales/buy.html
or via the ACP's Web site at www.pancanal.com. Interested parties have
55 days from the tender release date for bid submissions. The ACP expects to
award the contract in July or August 2007.