The Panama Ship Registry has implemented new regulations requiring mandatory traceability and stricter controls for all offshore ship-to-ship (STS) transfers of hydrocarbons. The new measure, which came into effect on August 6, is aimed at combating illicit activities associated with the so-called “shadow fleet.”
The regulation requires all Panamanian-flagged oil tankers of 150 gross tonnage or more to notify the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) at least 48 hours in advance of any STS operation. The authority stated that non-compliance with the new rule could lead to the cancellation of a vessel's Panamanian registration.
The mandatory notification must include full technical and logistical details of the operation, including the names and IMO numbers of all vessels involved, the geographical coordinates of the transfer, the type and quantity of hydrocarbons to be transferred, and the estimated duration of the operation.
The registry stated that the measure responds to the increasing use of vessels in illicit activities such as covert crude transportation, sanctions evasion, and operations lacking environmental controls. It noted that the new rule aligns with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations.