The Panama Ship Registry (PSR) has hit back at a video blaming it for the oil spill off Mauritius caused by the grounding of the bulker Wakashio.
The 203,000-dwt Japanese capesize (built 1997) broke up on Saturday after getting stuck on 25 July.
PSR issued a statement on Monday responding to "an unfortunate video circulating on social media".
It called this "slanderous, defamatory, disrespectful and evil-intentioned", not just for the flag but also the country and the way it does business.
"It shows the total absence of knowledge on what are the international regulations that govern the maritime industry worldwide and more flagrantly, what is the Panama Ship Registry," the flag said.
PSR said the shipping industry is not unsafe. The world's biggest register has been on the Paris MoU and Tokyo MoU white lists for 10 years.
Clean record
Wakashio has all its valid technical certification. Its next inspection is due in April 2021.
The vessel has no port state control detentions dating back to 2007.
The last flag inspection was completed in Japan on 1 March.
The video accuses the registry of being lax on the application of safety regulations.
"Nevertheless, the Wakashio had passed all the required inspections, had the necessary insurance policies and was safe to sail," PSR said.
"The Panama Ship Registry deeply regrets the fuel spill on the coast of Mauritius as a result of this serious maritime accident and the Panama Maritime Authority has offered its full cooperation to the authorities of the island of Mauritius with regards to the investigations into the causes of the accident."
'Unfair' accusations
The register added: "It is not only unfair but totally inaccurate putting the blame of this accident on the Panama Ship Registry for the only fact that the vessel is registered under the flag of Panama."
Panama’s legislation prohibits the use of cheap labour, it added.
"The register does not flag vessels of dubious origin. As an example, this year 2020 some 118 vessels have been rejected which did not comply with the requirements and 200 vessels have been cancelled, which did not meet international standards," PSR said.
Panama's minister of maritime affairs, naval architect Noriel Arauz, accompanied by the general director of merchant marine of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), engineer Rafael Cigarruista, will lead the Panamanian delegation that will travel to Mauritius in the next few days.
PSR said indications so far are that the incident was due to mechanical failure or human error.
Wakashio's Charterer Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) said on Sunday that owner Nagashiki Shipping had informed it that a crack in cargo hold number 8 to the stern side had "progressed", causing the vessel to split.
The Mauritius National Crisis Committee said: “At around 4.30pm, a major detachment of the vessel’s forward section was observed. On the basis of the experts’ advice, the towing plan is being implemented.”
The BBC reported about 90 tonnes of oil were left on board when the ship split.
