Panama Delegation Headed By The Minister Visited GISBIR

Panama Delegation Headed By The Minister Visited GISBIR

 

HE Jorge Barakat Pitty, Maritime Affairs Minister Panama Maritime Authority, Mr. Fernando A. Solorzano, General Director Merchant Marine, Mr Wilfredo Jaen Fuller, Technical Officer SEGUMAR and Mrs Irma Firuz, Administrative Director Consulate General of Panama in Istanbul, visited the Turkish Shipbuilders’ Association (GISBIR) Headquarters on the date of 01.11.2014.

Mr Orhan Torlak, the Vice President, Mr Sebahattin Aslan, Board Member, Mr Huseyin Mengi, Board Member, Ercan Ozokutucu the Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Sevnur Cakmak, Head of External Relations welcomed the Panamanian Delegation. A presentation about GISBIR and the Turkish shipbuilding industry was made for the Panamanian Delegation, followed by an introductry movie of GISBIR giving more information of and history about GISBIR, the activities of the Turkish shipbuilding industry.

Taking the floor after the presentation, HE Jorge Barakat Pitty, Maritime Affairs Minister, thanked GISBIR for welcoming them and providing detailed information. He said that Turkey and Panama having good relations is quite pleasing and that the new Panamanian government, which was elected in the last May aims at strengthening the current good relations between Turkey and Panama. The Minister emphasized that Panama aims not only to provide  professional service for the Turkish shipyards and shipowners regarding the ship registry, documentation, seafarer procedures, but also regarding the regulations and conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), for instance by taking not only Turkey but also all countries into account thanks to the IMO MEPC Chairman from Panama.

HE Pitty expressed that the main reason of their visit was to promote the opening of the SEGUMAR Technical Office in Istanbul adding that SEGUMAR is only opened in countries with a strong Maritime and shipbuilding industry, such as Greece, South Korea, Japan, USA and Singapore.

Another important issue highlighted by the Minister was the fleet age average decrease target of the Panamanian Government. According to this target, Panama Maritime Authority offers for new vessels a ship registry free of charge.

The Minister said that they wished to receive interest from the Turkish shipyards either independently or via joint ventures towards the international tender, which will be initiated within the Panama Channel Expansion Project and which will consist of opening new shipyards along the Panama Channel. He added that as the new Panamanian Government, with their Consulates General and technical offices around the globe, they are ready to provide professional services for the Turkish shipyards and shipowners free of charge in many areas.

HE Pitty invited GISBIR to the Panama Maritime World Conference and Exhibition, which will be held in April 2015 in Panama and which will promote the Panama Channel Expansion Project, which is to be completed in 2016.

Mr Orhan Torlak, the Vice President GISBIR said that the official information and documents, which will be submitted by the Panamanian Authorities and the Consulate General, will be distributed to GISBIR Members and GISBIR will be pleased to take steps in the direction of contributing into strengthening the relations between Turkey and Panama. Mr Orhan Torlak presented a plate to HE Jorge Barakat Pitty, Maritime Affairs Minister for their visit at GISBIR Headquarters.