The document provides answers to frequently asked questions about modifications to maritime complementary services tariffs. It clarifies new charges for changes to transit reservation dates, vessel substitutions, cancellation of auction slots, and surcharges for high demand transit days. It also explains tariffs for just-in-time requests, advancement of booked transit dates, and different levels of port captain inspections. The Panama Canal will notify customers of any changes through advisories to shipping.
The document provides answers to frequently asked questions about modifications to maritime complementary services tariffs. It clarifies new charges for changes to transit reservation dates, vessel substitutions, cancellation of auction slots, and surcharges for high demand transit days. It also explains tariffs for just-in-time requests, advancement of booked transit dates, and different levels of port captain inspections. The Panama Canal will notify customers of any changes through advisories to shipping.
The document provides answers to frequently asked questions about modifications to maritime complementary services tariffs. It clarifies new charges for changes to transit reservation dates, vessel substitutions, cancellation of auction slots, and surcharges for high demand transit days. It also explains tariffs for just-in-time requests, advancement of booked transit dates, and different levels of port captain inspections. The Panama Canal will notify customers of any changes through advisories to shipping.
The document provides answers to frequently asked questions about modifications to maritime complementary services tariffs. It clarifies new charges for changes to transit reservation dates, vessel substitutions, cancellation of auction slots, and surcharges for high demand transit days. It also explains tariffs for just-in-time requests, advancement of booked transit dates, and different levels of port captain inspections. The Panama Canal will notify customers of any changes through advisories to shipping.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Question Answer 1050.0270 – 0274 - Change in transit reservation date If a vessel is booked with more than 60 days but The tariff to be applied would be the Change vessel will not arrive on time and requires a reservation date fee, which replaces the previous change in transit reservation day, is there a “cancellation fee”, applied to vessels when cancellation fee? requested changes in reservation date. Is this charge different from the change in transit This charge represents the same service offered date? Will it be applied whenever the customer today. We are only creating a separate charge for booked a vessel and then participates either in a internal records, instead of applying the current special competition or auction to change the cancellation charge. transit date? If the intention to book an original date was not That has not changed with this new tariff. approved, would the void still be applicable? 1050.0232 – 0236 - Substitution of vessels with booking slots with another non- booked vessel Will this surcharge apply on top of the No, it will not. This will be the only charge for cancellation charge if a vessel requests a substitution depending on the days in advance. substitution with less than 7 days prior to the This new tariff is replacing the cancellation fee that booking date? currently applies to vessels that are involved in substitutions. It is not a surcharge. 1050.0420 – Cancellation charge for awarded Auction slot If a vessel cancels an auction slot, is it charged The vessel will be charged only with the ‘Cancellation charge for awarded auction slot’ as Cancellation charge for awarded auction slot, well as ‘Cancellation charge and LNG surcharge’? which is 100% of the awarded slot. The only change in this tariff is the increase from 90% of the auctioned amount to 100%. 1050.0440 – 0460 - Daily surcharge per day of high demand (reservation and auction) Under which conditions would the Panama Canal The day of high demand will depend on the identify a day as high demand? number of booking requests received for a specific day based on our data analyses. The Canal will review traffic behavior every 6 months to determine the day of high demand. If any change is required, the industry will be notified. Please explain the concept of daily surcharge per This surcharge will be applied to Neopanamax day of high demand and give an example. vessels that obtain a reservation and transit on the day previously determined as “high demand” by the ACP. For example, assuming the Canal announce “Saturdays” as the day of high demand starting on November 2023, all booked vessels transiting on
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Saturday will be charged an extra 10% applied to the reservation charge based on vessel dimensions. The surcharge does not include auction since the auction base price for days of high demand already has a 10% increase. How will the “high demand surcharge” be notified High demand days will be announced in a timely to the agents? manner through an Advisory to Shipping. If a vessel is booked with sufficient time before The surcharge for day of high demand will be this “demand” is deemed, will the surcharge still applicable for reservations requests beginning apply? January 1st, 2023. Or the surcharge is only applicable for vessels applying once the “demand condition” was already established? 1050.0620 – 0623 - Just in time (JIT) Will the 50% of the booking fee apply as soon as Exactly as today, the fee is 50% of booking and JIT is requested or only if the JIT is awarded. applies if a vessel is awarded the JIT and it arrives late. Will the JIT charge apply now for regular and The JIT service applies to all vessel categories. For Neopanamax? Neopanamax vessels, the procedure is still under evaluation. Is the JIT surcharge on top of the late arrival No, it is not an additional charge. The surcharge that is currently assessed? $2,000/$4,000/$10,000 charges are for the JIT service. What is the regulation for a Neopanamax to Although the tariff has been created, the details request a JIT? regarding the procedures will be communicated later through an Advisory to Shipping. 1050.0480 – 0485 - Transit Date Advancement for Booked Vessels If we have a pre-booked slot for a specific day, can That is correct. If the booking has been made for a then the transit date be advanced if we pay Neopanamax vessel, you may request an $10,000? advancement and, if awarded, you would be charged $10,000. For a Panamax vessel, the tariff is $5,000. Would this tariff be applicable only for full This service is currently only available to full containers as it currently is? Could any market container vessels. The ACP is analyzing the segment request an advancement in the transit possibility of extending this service to other market date? segments. Would this tariff be applicable on Canal’s This tariff will apply only when the customer convenience? requests the transit advancement. Will this tariff be charged when the request is The tariff would be applied if the transit done or only if awarded? advancement request is awarded. If, due to the vessel’s fault, the vessel cannot transit on the advancement date, the tariff will be applied. 1080 - Port Captain inspections What are the Port Captain Inspection tariffs for? This charge applies to vessels that do not comply Do they apply to all kinds of vessels? with the requirements of the transit vessel inspection program or requires the CPC to respond to incidents related to vessel´s mechanical failure. March 24, 2023 What are the criteria to differentiate levels 1,2, The levels of inspection are described as follows: and 3 at the CPC Inspection tariff? Level 1: CPC inspection of vessel´s draft, visibility, High Mast Lighting (HML), suitability of nighttime transit through the Cut, handline or softline lockages and CPC inspections due to navigation equipment malfunction, safety and/or operational issues. Level 2: CPC inspection of a dead tow of any size, CPC conducting a sea trial due to vessel engine or steering deficiencies and other CPC inspections related to the safe operation in the Canal. Level 3: When the CPC boards and maneuvers a vessel due to vessel mechanical malfunction during transit, or to manage incidents, accidents, and casualties in the Canal. Who decides the level of the CPC inspection? The Canal Port Captain would decide the level of inspection based on reports from other inspections (i.e., Boarding officer, Transit Vessel Inspector), or from reports received from the Canal Pilot. When would the agent be informed? The agent would be informed as it is informed today, by phone and e-mail whenever the CPC finds it necessary to perform an inspection. 1085 - Emergency equipment availability and surveillance services Could you, please, confirm whether the It will apply only for transits of dangerous cargo emergency equipment availability and classified under the Precautionary Designators PD1 surveillance services will be charged to every or PD3. You may find more information regarding transit? Precautionary Designators in Notice to Shipping N- 01-2022, Section #17. The Canal already has a security fee of $1,250.00 The charge of availability of emergency equipment that should cover all security for the ship during and surveillance service at critical points in the transit. Please explain in detail if the security fee locks is a new fee. It entails a service that is is going to be increased to $2,000.00 or if it is an provided for every transit of a vessel classified additional fee for our transit. under the Precautionary Designators PD 1 and PD 3. Could you please explain us the difference in The Security Charges (1081.001 and 1081.002) coverage implied under the following two tariffs: have existed because of all the security measures Security Charge for Transiting Vessels (1081.001 the Panama Canal adopted with the and 1081.002), and Emergency Equipment implementation of the ISPS Code. It is not based on Availability and Surveillance Services (1085.0001) the risks of the vessel’s cargo. The new tariff is based on a service which was already provided to vessels designated as PD 1 and PD 3, because of the risks involved with the cargo for these vessels. Regarding the tariff for the use of ambulance and It will apply only during an emergency event, fire truck during an emergency event, what is it regardless of the type and size of the vessel for? Is it applied to all kinds of vessels? involved.
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1086 - Disruption charge What is the Disruption charge for? Is it applied to The disruption charge will be applied to vessels all kinds of vessels? whose transits are aborted or interrupted, due to conditions or deficiencies presented prior to or during transit or harbor movements. It will apply only to vessels with length overall (LOA) over 125 feet. What determines a disruption? Is it a vessel The following are some examples of conditions or deficiency? deficiencies that may trigger the application of the Disruption charge (it must be understood that this is not a clear-cut list, as there may be other deficiencies that may cause the application of the disruption charge): 1. Boarding Facilities that do not comply with regulations or obstructions in access for pilots and Canal´s personnel. 2. Non-compliance with fuel change regulations for transit. 3. Issues with draft and trim of the vessel (overdraft; excessive list, down by the head, drag; less than minimum draft, etc.). 4. Engine and/or steering problems (before or during transit). 5. Maximum speed less than 8 knots. 6. Non-compliance with the minimum visibility requirements. 7. Unsanitary conditions (inadequate sanitary facilities; galley; pilot cabin; mooring areas). 8. Language barrier of Master/Officers interference with ACP pilots or Canal crew. 9. Winch(es) and/or windlass problem(s) or lines deficiencies (wires; insufficient amount or length, etc.). 10. Protrusions that affect transit conditions. 11. Vessel’s equipment malfunction (anchors, air conditioning system, Rudder angle (RAI) or revolutions per minute (RPM) indicators, gyro, wipers, VHF radio, Automatic Identification System (AIS), radars, navigational lights control, telegraph, and whistle). 12. Inaccurate information reported by vessel related to draft, cargo, or other. 13. Other deficiencies that affect transit schedules or transit operations.
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What determines if the disruption is low or high 1. The low impact tariff applies when a vessel impact? scheduled for transit with pilot (s) on board from the anchorages, adjacent ports to the Canal entrance or mooring stations, and prior to getting underway the transit is aborted due to a deficiency of vessel, or at the request of the vessel. 2. The high Impact tariff applies when a vessel is scheduled for transit with pilot (s) on board and underway or during transit or harbor movements, and at the request of the vessel or due to fault (s) attributable to the vessel, it is unable to continue its original schedule. It also applies to vessels that, due to their special conditions or characteristics require the approval from the Office of the Canal Port Captain to begin or continue their transit with restrictions that adversely affect transit operation. Please describe what exactly would be considered The Non-Self-Propelled Vessel (dead tow / dead to apply the Disruption charge for a vessel without ship) disruption charge will be applied to vessels self-propulsion (dead tows)? that transit under this type of navigational arrangement. This tariff will not be applicable for the Intra Maritime Cluster segment, neither integrated barge or articulated barge (treat as one vessel). Herewith we describe the concepts mentioned in the description of the tariff: • Non-Self-Propelled Vessel: A vessel which neither has installed means of propulsion nor has installed means of propulsion which does not function during transit. • Dead Tow: A vessel which does not have installed means of propulsion. • Dead Ship: A vessel has installed means of propulsion which do not function during transit. Who decides when to apply a high or low-impact The application of this tariff depends on the disruption charge? conditions found by the pilot on board the vessel. It will be determined by the Canal Port Captain (CPC). The impact level will depend on if the vessel was in the channel at the time of transit cancellation or just underway. If the vessel was in the channel, then the high-impact charge will apply.
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1088 - Approval of Vessels Plans Service Charge What is the ‘Approval of Vessels Plans Services These service charges are applied to the revision charge for? Is it applied all kinds of vessels? for approval of vessel plans of either new constructions or existing vessels without approval, or plan modifications for approved vessels, to ensure compliance with the Regulation on Navigation in Panama Canal Waters. The Approval of Vessel Plans Service Charge applies per vessel (hull or project number). The Modification of approved plans refers to previously approved plans and modifications made to the vessel. The Validation of approved plans is a request for information about hull number approved plans. What exactly would apply under special service of The service would entail an urgent approval approval at customer´s request? request made by a customer due to an imminent vessel transit or visit to drydock or vessel delivery. It would be provided up to 96 hours after the request. How would this tariff work? Currently once the The process remains as it is nowadays. Shipping plans are sent to the ACP for review, there is no agents, shipowners or ship representatives would ETA or itinerary known. Would it now be required request the approval of vessel plans services by to create an ETA for a plan to be reviewed? email to The Transit Operations Division attaching vessel plans and documents (PlanApproval@pancanal.com). Then, they would receive an email with all the information related to the payment process. Once we receive the payment confirmation via email, we would deliver the service requested. It will not be required to create a visit for the plan to be reviewed. 1500 - Fresh water surcharge What exactly is being modified on this surcharge? The Canal is modifying only the variable fee, so the fixed fee will stay as it is nowadays. The Canal is not changing the calculation of the fee but the formula that generates the percentage to be paid. We would like to know how to calculate the You may calculate the variable component using variable component. the formula in the “tariff” column of the “Tariff Changes summary table” in the link provided at the end of advisory A-34-2022. How can we know the Gatun Lake level used to The official depth level of Gatun Lake is published calculate the variable component of this tariff? daily in the Panama Canal website (“Gatun Water Level Indicators” in the “Customer Information section in www.pancanal.com). The level to be applied for the tariff calculations, using the day prior to the transit.