Glossary

The largest ship size that is allowed to transit the Panama Canal. Ships' lengths are restricted to 275 metres, maximum permitted width is slightly more than 32 metres, and maximum permitted fresh water draught is 12 metres. This ship size is about 60,000-80,000 DWT.

A Power of Attorney is a document that gives someone else the authority to act on your behalf on matters that you specify. The power can be specific to a certain task or broad to cover many financial duties.

Flag States are responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag comply with their requirements, and a number of certificates are prescribed in the SOLAS Convention and other Conventions as proof of compliance. Port State Control (PSC) provisions also allow Contracting Governments to inspect the ships and equipment of other Contracting States for compliance with the requirements of the Convention - this procedure is known as Port State Control. See also MOU.