The Panama Government has informed ClassNK of Merchant Marine Circular No.226, "Guidelines for the Maintenance and Inspection of Fire-Protection Systems and Appliances", which is in reference to maintenance, inspection and test of Fire-Protection System and Appliances on board the Panama-registered ships was revised. The essential points of the Guidelines are shown below. The previous ClassNK Technical Information No.TEC-0869 is now superseded. The requirements only are shown below. As necessary, please refer to the original text of the Guideline which is available on Panama Government Internet Homepage (http://www.segumar.com).

Points of changes from TEC-0869 are as follows;

1. Deletion of definition "the competent person"
2. Deletion of two years service for Fire Extinguishers
(Two year service is replaced with annual maintenance)
3. Addition of reference "ISO6406" to gas cylinders
4. Deletion of two yearly inspections for SCBA
(Two yearly inspections are replaced with annual inspections)
5. Addition of instruction for five yearly maintain for EEBD

The requirements of Guideline are as follows;

1. General
(1) All fire protection systems and appliances shall at all times be in good order and available for immediate use while the ship is in service.
(2) "A service agent or facility" described below means one be subject to approval by the Administration or IACS members or equal Organizations to perform maintenance, inspection and tests of fire-protection systems and appliances.
(3) All self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA's) means one for fire-fighter's outfit and for safety equipment specified in IBC/IGC Code.

(To be continued)