ClassNK has issued Technical Information No. TEC-1367 dated 18 November 2025, outlining revised requirements introduced by the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) under an updated Merchant Marine Circular MMC-217, ClassNK said in a news release.
The circular supersedes ClassNK’s previous notice and sets new obligations for the STS Operations Plan covering Panamanian-flagged oil tankers of 150 gross tonnage and above engaged in oil cargo transfer, except for operations such as bunkering, transfers within Panama’s territorial waters regulated by Resolution J.D. No. 038-2022, platform-related transfers, FPSO and FSU activities, safety-related emergency operations, transfers involving state vessels, and fishing-related activities.
The revised MMC-217 requires STS Operations Plans to follow the IMO “Manual on Oil Pollution, Section I, Prevention,” and the /OCIMF Ship to Ship Transfer Guide (2013).
Plans must be amended to include detailed notification data for the flag administration, including tanker identification, operational timing and location, transfer mode, oil type and quantity, contact details for each vessel’s Designated Person Ashore, and confirmation of compliance with regulation 41, Annex I, MARPOL.
Updated plans approved by the ClassNK Hull Department must be kept onboard. From 6 August 2025, operators must notify PMA of STS operations at least 48 hours in advance through the E-Segumar platform and retain PMA’s acknowledgement electronically for three years.
ClassNK surveyors will confirm onboard carriage of the updated plan no later than the first annual, intermediate or renewal IOPP survey after that date.
Operators are instructed to submit updated plans using the “APPLICATION FOR DRAWING APPROVAL (APP-DWG)” and may apply through ClassNK offices in Shanghai, Busan or Singapore.
A flag surcharge of “USD 75 as of July 2025” applies in addition to plan approval fees. A statutory note requires owners or managers to revise and re-approve the STS Operations Plan before the first applicable IOPP survey after 6 August 2025. The surveyor will delete the note once the updated plan is confirmed onboard.
The notice states that the updated guidance reflects added references in Item 2 “Additional Requirements.” The provided text ends with “To be continued,” so it is unclear whether further provisions follow.
The Panama Maritime Authority is an autonomous governmental body responsible for administering the Panamanian ship registry and regulating maritime services under Panama’s flag, including safety oversight and compliance with international maritime standards.
ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) is a Japanese ship classification society incorporated as a general foundation. It develops technical rules for ship construction and operation and conducts surveys and certifications to verify compliance with international and its own standards.
