Panama Maritime Authority denies alleged concession for exclusive sale of bunkers

Image Credit: Manifold Times

Repost: The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) on Tuesday (6 December) denied recent publications in which reference is made to an alleged concession for the exclusive sale of bunkers to vessels that use the facilities of the Panama Cruise Port.

“We clarify to the country that the Panama Maritime Authority authorised the operation of the Panama Cruise Terminal to the company Colón 2000 for the reception of cruise ships and their passengers, but not the provision of any auxiliary maritime service in particular, given the fact that that the auxiliary maritime services that are offered in the port facilities are contracted directly by the port operator, that is to say that the government has no interference in the selection of the contracting companies for these services,” AMP said.

AMP also said it should be noted that all companies that provide auxiliary maritime services in the Republic of Panama are authorised through Operation Licenses issued by the General Directorate of Ports and Auxiliary Maritime Industries, which are approved after complying with quality and safety standards established in the current legislation.

According to several Panama-based news outlets, Iria Barrancos Domingo, a maritime lawyer and former president of the Panamanian Association of Maritime Law (Apademar), said: the exclusivity granted to the company Monjasa for the bunkering of cruise ships in the cruise ports of Amador and Colón, by the company Colón 2000, with the apparent endorsement of AMP, has been classified as an unfair practice“that threatens free competition”, in accordance with the law and the Constitution.”

Domingo added the fact that the concessionaire (in this case Colón 2000) is authorised to provide the fuel supply service and lubricants in the concession contract, cannot be understood as a grant of exclusivity and, therefore, cannot prevent users from contracting services from third parties that meet the requirements established by the National Secretariat of Energy, which is the sole governing body. of the energy sector, such as hydrocarbons, oil, and its derivatives.

When contacted, a company spokesperson from Monjasa told Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times: “Monjasa has earned its place to fuel global shipping through our high quality operations and we welcome competition at a level playing field. We thereby also invite everyone who meets the established operational requirements to compete at equal terms as it will only further improve our industry and ultimately benefit the end customer.”

“As an example, this could be anything from operating modern and SIRE-vetted tankers, environmental management and demonstrated oil spill response, or how we work with our customers on improving satisfaction year-on-year as part of our ISO-9001 Quality Management System. In our eyes, this is what our industry deserves.”

Source:
Manifold Times

Marine Online Media Team
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