Panama Canal Boarding Facility Inspections

The Panama Canal Authority will hold its annual "Safe Boarding Week" from 8 to 12 July 2013.

During the week it will highlight and encourage safe boarding practices on all vessels arriving in the waterway.

Activities will involved inspections of boarding facilities by teams representing groups who normally board vessels, such as Canal port captains, pilots, transit vessel inspectors, chemists, admeasurers, deckhands and ships' agents.

Vessels at Cristobal and Balboa anchorages will be boarded to inspect their boarding facility arrangements, and Masters will be provided with the inspection results. Those vessels deserving special recognition for excellence will be presented with plaques that will be delivered immediately after inspection. Any vessel with boarding facilities deemed to be below accepted standards will be expected to correct deficiencies prior to transit.