JAPANESE SHIPOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION
Kaiun Building, 2-6-4, Hirakawa-cho
Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 102-8603, Japan
Tel : +81-3-3264-7180
Fax : +81-3-5226-9166
E-mail: int@jsanet.or.jp

6 December 2017
Press Release on JSA’s Panama Visit in November

The JSA delegation, headed by its Vice President, Mr Yuji Isoda, with representatives of its
three member companies (KL, MOL and NYK), visited Panama in mid-November and held
fruitful discussions with the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and Panama Maritime Authority(AMP).
The Secretary General of the Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA) also participated in themeeting with ACP, while Director of International Shipping Division, Maritime Bureau ofMinistry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT-Japan) also attended bothmeetings.
Major topics discussed at each meeting are as follows:

1. Meeting with the ACP (1st Dialogue Meeting JSA-ASA-ACP)
The meeting was named as the ‘1st Dialogue Meeting JSA-ASA-ACP’ and held at the ACP
headquarters in Panama City on Monday, 13 November 2017, having materialized inaccordance with discussion on the table during previous visit to JSA by the Vice President ofPanama.
From the ACP, Mr Jorge Quijano, Panama Canal Administrator, Mr Manuel Benitez, Vice
Administrator, and other top-ranking officers attended. (Please see attached attendance list)
After a cordial welcome to Panama from Mr Quijano, participants discussed current issues
such as safety measures at new set of locks, future plans to increase the number of slots aswell as tolls.
With regard to future number of slots, the ACP confirmed that they plan to increase thebooking slots (current: 6/day) to 7 from December this year. The JSA/ASA and the ACP
recognised that there will be an increase in the demand from LNG vessels, considering thenew US-LNG projects which will start in full from 2018.
With regard to efficient use of the Canal, the JSA praised ACP’s tremendous efforts to plan,
construct and open the new set of locks, congratulating them on a remarkable record transit
in FY2017 of up to 400 million Panama Canal tons. The JSA emphasised its basic thoughtthat the Panama Canal was a global asset that was a precious life-line for the world, and thatmaximum usage of the Canal confers benefits to the entire world. With regard to tolls, theJSA emphasised its belief that reliable and stable tolls were necessary for the Canal as a
global infrastructure and repeated that sufficient prior consultation period, i.e. 12 months in-1-

general, but at least 6 months, is required. The ACP stated they understood industry’s voice
and would take this request in consideration.
************The Secretary General of ASA added that the Asian shipowners were still struggling tosurvive under the bearish shipping market and shipowners had no choice but to bear thefinancial burden due to upcoming maritime regulations such as CO2 emission, ballast water
management and global sulphur cap. He expressed his determination that ASA would
contribute to a regular dialogue with parties concerned through close cooperation with theJSA, one of ASA’s core association members.
The Director of MLIT-Japan commented that the meeting this time was very fruitful and that
the MLIT would continue to facilitate such dialogue.
As for the next Dialogue meeting, after coordinating the items to be further discussed, allparticipants agreed that it would be held in Tokyo or Panama next year at an appropriate
level. The ACP expressed that they looked forward to inviting top JSA officials to Panama inthe near future.
On the same day, the ACP kindly invited all the JSA/ACP/MLIT delegation to Cocoli Locks
and Miraflores Locks and offered a detailed explanation on the Canal’s operations andfacilities as well as its history. We deeply appreciated these opportunities.

2. Meeting with the AMP
Meeting was held at the AMP headquarters in Panama City on Tuesday, 14 November 2017.
From AMP, Mr Jorge Barakat Pitty, Administrator; Mr Fernando Solorzano, General Director;
Ms Magdalena Carrera Ledezma, General Director; and other top-ranking officers attended.
(Please see the attached attendance list)
After a cordial welcome to Panama and expressing sincere gratitude for the use of thePanamanian flag by JSA members from Mr Barakat, the participants commented andconfirmed the following, among others:
The JSA expressed its appreciation for AMP’s follow-up being in accordance with the JSA
requirements that international maritime rules as well as ratification of Hong Kong
Convention be reflected in all actions taken.
With regard to Radio certification issues, the AMP clarified that they could carry out thecertification process for the corresponding Japanese radio qualifications.
With regard to the issuance of Panamanian licences and certifications for seafarers in Japan,
the AMP revealed that they will have completed the necessary IT set-up by the end of thisyear and that it was expected that various Panamanian certifications would be issued inTokyo and Kobe in Spring 2018.
The participants also discussed the issue of the maritime agreement between Panama andChina, change of required language in documentation and digitalisation.
In this connection, the AMP underlined the benefit of the issuance of the technicalcertificates, which can be printed electronically and directly by the interested parties in any-2-place, thus speeding up the process. The AMP clarified that at this time the certificates that
could be applied under this modality were: Declaration of Maritime Labour Compliance Part I(DMLC), Financial Security in Respect of Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage (CLC),
Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP) and the International Ballast Water Management
Certificate (IBWMC). It was also revealed that all existing certifications would beincorporated next year. It was noted by the participants that the AMP was working in new
platforms that had an impact on the automation of more processes, which would enable
printing via online.
The JSA expressed its most sincere thanks for each of AMP’s positive actions and also
conveyed its appreciation for local efforts in Japan by the Embassy of Panama in Tokyo,
headed by Ambassador Diaz, as well as Segumar Tokyo.
The Director of MLIT-Japan expressed his appreciation for the long-time cooperation with theJapanese government by the Panamanian government, and commented that Japan would
continue to maintain and enhance such a good relationship.

------------------------3-

1st Dialogue Meeting JSA-ASA-ACP
13 November, 2017
ACP headquarters, Panama

Attendance List
Representatives of the Panama Canal Authority (ACP):
Mr. Jorge Quijano
Panama Canal Administrator
Mr. Manuel Benítez
Deputy Administrator
Mr. Esteban Saénz
Executive VP, Operations
Mr. Oscar Bazán
Executive VP, Planning and Business Development
Mr. Alexis Rodríguez
Specialist in Environmental Protection
Capt. Guillermo Manfredo
Executive Manager, Transit Operations
Mr. Abraham SaiedManager, Marine Traffic and Admeasurement
Mr. César Lau
Supervisor, Marine Traffic Control
Ms. Argelis Ducreux
Leader, Container Liner Segment
Mr. José Ramón Arango
Leader, Liquid Bulk Segment
Mr. Max OlivaresSupervisor, Tolls and Pricing
Ms. Marianela Dengo
Manager, Strategic Relations Management Section
Representatives of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA):
Mr. Yuji Isoda
Vice President
Ms. Keiko Kosugi
Chair of JSA International Affairs Sub-Committee /Deputy General Manager, Corporate Planning Group,
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
Mr. Keiji Tomoda
Member of JSA International Affairs Sub-Committee /Associate Director, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Mr. Tsuyoshi Aoki
Member of JSA International Affairs Sub-Committee /Associate General Manager, Corporate Planning Division,Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
Mr. Hiroyuki Yamagami
Manager, Planning Division

Representative of the Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA):
Mr. Kwang-Ho (Harry) Shin,

Secretary General--------

Representative of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(MLIT) :Mr. Teruki Yamada
Director, International Shipping Division, Maritime Bureau

Meeting between JSA and AMP
14 November, 2017
AMP headquarters, Panama

Attendance ListRepresentatives of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP):
Mr. Jorge Barakat
Administrator of AMP
Mr. Fernando Solorzano
General Director of Merchant Marine
Ph D. Magdalena Carrera Ledezma General Director of Seafarers
Capt. Jovani González
Deputy Director of Seafarers
Ing. José Luis Ortega
Head of Department of Navigation and Maritime Safety
Ms. Rina D. Berrocal
Chief of Segumar, Merchant Marine General Directorate
Representatives of the Japanese Shipowners’ Association (JSA):
Mr. Yuji Isoda
Vice President
Ms. Keiko Kosugi
Chair of JSA International Affairs Sub-Committee /Deputy General Manager, Corporate Planning Group,
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha
Mr. Keiji Tomoda
Member of JSA International Affairs Sub-Committee /Associate Director, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.
Mr. Tsuyoshi Aoki
Member of JSA International Affairs Sub-Committee /Associate General Manager, Corporate Planning
Division, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd.
Mr. Hiroyuki Yamagami
Manager, Planning Division-------Representative of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism(MLIT) :Mr. Teruki Yamada
Director, International Shipping Division, Maritime Bureau

JSA’s Panama Visit in November 2017 (Pictures)

1st Dialogue Meeting JSA-ASA-ACP (Presentation by Administrator Quijano)

Mr Isoda at Cocoli Lock

Meeting with the AMP

Gift Exchange between Mr Isoda and Mr Barakat