F-33

(DCCM)
V.04

Panama Maritime Authority

General Directorate of Merchant Marine
Control and Compliance Department

MERCHANT MARINE CIRCULAR MMC-215

To: Ship-owners/Operators, Legal Representatives of Panamanian Flagged

Vessels, Panamanian Merchant Marine Consulates and Recognized
Organizations (RO’s)

Subject: Panama Oil Record Book and Emissions (Amendments and Guidelines).

Reference: Resolution MEPC 187(59) of July 17, 2009 adopted by Resolution 106-OMI-
81- DGMM of June 29, 2010.
Resolution MEPC 176(58) of October 10, 2008 adopted by Resolution 106-
OMI-80-DGMM of June 29, 2010.
Resolution MEPC 271(69) of April 22, 2016 adopted by Resolution 106-
OMI-189-DGMM of August 08, 2017.
MEPC.1/CIRC.736 Rev.2 - Guidance for the Recording of Operations in the
Oil Record Book Part I – Machinery Space Operations (All Ships). (Only as
recommendation)

1. This Merchant Marine Circular replaces MMC 23, MMC 83, MMC 148 and MMC 154.

2. PURPOSE
2.1. The purpose of this Marine Circular is to provide ship-owners, ship operators,
Masters and officers of Panama flagged vessels with guidance on the proper
maintenance and keeping of the current Panama official Oil Record Book, now
named Oil Record Book and Emissions according to MARPOL 73/78 as
amended for vessels (Revised Edition 2017 and thereafter editions); as required
by MARPOL Annex I and Annex VI. This Record Book contains the
amendments to the previous Oil Record Book Part I & Part II stipulated under
the Resolution MEPC 187(59) which has entered in force since 01 January,
2011. In addition, such record book has instructions (Part III) for actions carried
out on board and necessary to be recorded according to last amendment under
Resolution MEPC 176(58) which entered in force since 01 July, 2010, and
Resolution MEPC 271(69) which entered in force since 01 September, 2017 in
relation to:
 2.1.1. Ozone Depleting Substances
2.1.2. Low Sulphur Fuel Oil
2.1.3. Vapor Collection System (in tankers)
2.1.4. Incinerators.
2.1.5. Record requirements for operational compliance with NOx Tier III emission
control areas.

3. APPLICABILITY
3.1. The provisions of MARPOL Annex I & VI apply to all ships as specified in the
Convention.

4. GENERAL
4.1. Oil Record Book and Emissions shall be kept on board Panama flag vessels in
order to ensure that all the information required to be recorded by Annex I and
VI of MARPOL is maintained properly, including the information recommended
in this Guideline.
4.2. Vessels which have on board previous existing editions “2016”, of Oil Record
Book and Emissions may continue to be used until onboard supplies of such
editions are exhausted. Updating of such Oil Record Book and Emissions can
be made by adding copy of the attachment provided herein to existing editions
currently in use (list of items to be recorded), in order to bring it up to date
according to new regulation under the mentioned IMO MEPC Resolutions. For
your reference, please find attached to this circular (on hyperlink at paragraph
5.4.3), copy of instructions and list of items to be recorded for Part III contained
already on the Oil Record Book and Emissions, Revised Edition 2017 and
thereafter editions. Guidance and record keeping instructions shall be taken into
account when using the previous editions.
4.3. The Oil Record Book and Emissions shall be kept in such a place as to be
readily available for inspection at all reasonable times and, except in the case of
unmanned ships under tow, shall be kept on board the ship. It shall be
preserved for a period of three (3) years after the last entry has been made.

5. GUIDELINE
5.1. Entries in Oil Record Book and Emissions Part I shall be carried out by every oil
tanker of 150 gross tons and above and every other ship of 400 gross tons and
above, in order to record relevant information of machinery space operations.
5.2. In addition Oil Tankers of 150 gross tons and above shall also make entries in
Oil Record Book and Emissions Part II, in order to record cargo and ballast
operations.

5.2.1. Oil tankers of less than 150 GT shall make entries in Oil Record Book and
Emissions Part II in order to control the discharge of oil
5.3. Every ship of 400 gross tonnages and above shall also make entries of Ozone
Depleting Substances, in part III of Oil Record Book and Emissions.
5.4. The Panama Maritime Authority has collected all Record to be made in one
book named Oil Record Book and Emissions, in order to be used on board
Panama vessels and its main content is as follows:

5.4.1. PART I - MACHINERY SPACE OPERATIONS (ALL SHIPS)

5.4.2. PART II – CARGO AND BALLAST OPERATIONS (TANKERS)
5.4.3. PART III- REGULATIONS FOR THE PREVENTION OF AIR POLLUTION
FROMSHIPS (ALL SHIPS)

5.5. Additionally, the IMO has approved a circular containing guidance for the
recording of operations in the Oil Record Book Part I – machinery space
operations (all ships) MEPC1/Circ.736/Rev.2. This circular is intended to
facilitate compliance with the requirements of MARPOL Annex I by providing
advice and examples to crews on how to record the various operations in the Oil
record Book, and to ensure a more uniform Port state Control procedure. The
text of the guidance has been included here below:
5.5.1. When making entries in the Oil Record Book and Emissions, the date,
operational letter code and item number shall be inserted in the appropriate
columns
5.5.2. Operations should be recorded in chronological order as they have been
executed on board.
5.5.3. Dates should be entered in DD-MONTH-YYYY format, e.g. 16-MAR-2009.
5.5.4. Nevertheless, record keeping in the Oil Record Book and Emissions has the
purpose of chronological registry various operations in chronological order
as they have been executed on board. Therefore, if the tanks are emptied
before drydock entry, then there's no log to enter. However, if there is any
sludge and oily bilge tank containing residues the correspondent entries
must be made when the residues are disposed ashore.
5.5.5. Incineration or landing ashore of oily garbage and used filters should be
recorded in the Garbage Record Book for the purpose of compliance with
the Annex V Marpol 73/78 as amended. In this regard in the currently Oil
Record Book and Emissions Revised Edition 2017 and thereafter editions,
under Part III letter “E” there is specific information to be recorded every
time incinerator is used; which is information different to those required
under Annex V Marpol 73/78 as amended.
5.5.6. All Entries are to be made and signed by the officer or officers in charge of
the operations concerned and each completed page shall be signed by the
master of the ship.
5.5.7. Do not leave any full lines empty between successive entries.
 5.5.8. If a wrong entry has been recorded in the Oil Record Book and Emissions, it
should immediately be struck through with a single line in such a way that
the wrong entry is still legible. The wrong entry should be signed and dated,
with the new corrected entry following.
5.5.9. Tank nomenclature should be recorded as per the format noted within the
International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP).
5.5.10. Recording of quantities retained in bilge water holding tanks listed under
section 3.3 of the IOPP is voluntary and not required by the Convention.
5.5.11. The recording of general maintenance of items pertaining to the OWS
remains voluntary and is not required to be recorded in the ORB.

5.6. A hyperlink has been created in paragraph 5.4, Part III to lead to the Part III
instructions and records added to previous version 2016 of this Record Book

December, 2021 – References were updated; paragraphs renumbered and paragraph

5.2.1 and 5.5.4 has been included.
October, 2018-Paragraph 4.5.4 corrected to say Part III letter “E” instead of D. Additional
in the hyperlink created under paragraph 4.4 part III in the example in Spanish version it
was corrected the first example to said “Part III E” instead of D.
November, 2017- Paragraph 3.3 amended.
October, 2017 – Added a “Note” after paragraph 4.5.10. Clarification added in paragraphs
3.2 & 4.5.4. Added in Reference Section, the last IMO Res. MEPC 271(69); update the
number of revised edition Record Book where necessary and in the section of purpose
included reference to the last IMO Res. MEPC 271(69) and new listed point 1.1.5.
May, 2016 – Changes in 1.1,3.2, 3.3, 4.5.7 and update the part III
June, 2014 – Erratum page of part III on point 4.4 and 4.5.3
October, 2013 – Changes in 1.1, 3.3 part III and 4.5.3
June, 2011
December, 2010

Inquiries concerning the subject of this Merchant Marine Circular or any other request
should be forward to:
SEGUMAR Panama
General Directorate of Merchant Marine
Panama Maritime Authority

Phone: (507) 501-5363/5362/5350/5348

E-mail: [email protected]
Website: https://panamashipregistry.com/circulars/