PC SOPEP

Panama Canal Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (PCSOPEP)

All vessels approaching Canal waters for transit must submit a Panama Canal Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (PCSOPEP) at least 96 hours prior to its arrival. This requirement, which became effective January 1, 2005, is applicable to vessels with fuel and/or oil cargo-carrying capacity of 400 MT or more. The carrying capacity of a vessel is equal to the sum of the capacities of all oil cargo tanks and fuel tanks.

Mandatory

Every vessel transiting the Panama Canal Waters must submit a Panama Canal Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (PCSOPEP) for at least 96 hours prior to its transit. All vessels with 400 MT or more with fuel and oil cargo-carrying capacity must submit the PC SOPEP certificate.

PCSOPEP is classified in the following categories:

- Tier S: vessels with oil carrying capacity of 400 MT up to 1,000 MT.

- Tier 1: vessels with oil carrying capacity of more than 1,000 MT up to 7,000 MT.

- Tier 1 and Tier 2: vessels oil carrying capacity of more than 7,000 MT up to 15,000 MT.

- Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 are for vessels with an oil carrying capacity of more than 15,000 MT.

¿What happen if vessels failed to submit a compliant PCSOPEP at least 96 hours prior to its arrival?

Non compliance with timings for PC SOPEP, the vessel will be classified as non compliant and will be classified as Tier 3 and charged accordingly. Under such condition, the vessel will be scheduled for transit after ship company or third party will pay the minimum required for the applicable sanction, which will be set as a minimum of 2,500.00

¿How do you get to know that your vessel is in full comply with the PCSOPEP?

Panama Canal will review your PCSOPEP and once is found to be in order, Panama Canal will send an email to your Ship Company or your Agent in order to confirm your approval. This is sent through a Notice of Acknowledgement (NOA). The Notice Of Acknowledgement will be accomplished when the ships arrives to Panama Canal and is boarded by the authorities. Please be advised that this Notice of Acknowledgement have four years of expiration date from the date the NOA is delivered by an ACP boarding officer.

Documentation

Vessels shall provide, where applicable, the following documents to the ACP for verification:

• copy of the International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP).

• copy of the Panama Canal Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (PCSOPEP), prepared specifically for the vessel.

• a copy of the Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plan (SOPEP), Annex I, MARPOL, or a copy of the Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan (SMPEP), Annex II, MARPOL, must be available upon request.

¿What shall include a PCSOPEP?

• Oil pollution prevention measures for Panama Canal waters

• Spill notification procedures in a prioritized sequence

• Spill response procedures

• Crew training program for the reaction to shipboard and shore spill incidents

• Record of exercises

• Identification of the Authorized Person and telephone and facsimile where they can be reached on a 24-hour basis.

PCSOPEPs shall be developed by companies experienced in Pollution Prevention.