June 16, 2016
MARKET RESEARCH FOR PILOT BOATS FOR THE PANAMA CANAL
ACP is conducting a market research to determine the availability of interested Parties in providing
pilot boats for the Panama Canal, in order to promote the participation and the most ample
competition in compliance with Article 26 of its Acquisitions Regulations.
This notice does not express or imply a commitment to purchase any supplies or services or enter
in any contractual agreement. Your feedback will be used for information purposes and not as a
formal proposal. The information received will be considered confidential and will not be disclosed
to third parties.
1. SCOPE OF CONTRACT.
The Panama Canal (ACP) requires to purchase eight new pilot boats of new construction. The boats
shall be unused, of near construction completion or already built. The boats shall be capable to be
delivered to the Canal, in a short notice. The boats shall be of an existing and proven design. The
boats shall be capable for immediate operational deployment, upon delivery at the Canal.
For near construction completion boats, information must include estimated date for completion.
For already built boats, information must include the estimated delivery time to Panama.
2. WORK STATEMENT.
It is not the intent of these specifications to mention every minor detail of design, construction or
outfitting, the omission of which, will not relieve the Contractor of its obligation to furnish, without
extra cost, all items, equipment, accessories and materials, which are implied or essential, in
accordance to good marine practice, and these specifications, to deliver a complete, high quality
boat, and to ensure its proper operation throughout the boat(s) service life.
It is the intent of these specifications, to describe the contractual conditions, the boat(s) general
technical characteristics, and other terms and conditions that the Contractor must comply with.
The interested parties shall provide, illustrative and technical information, including drawings,
pictures, pamphlets, certificates, materials, equipment, systems, controls, monitoring and alarm
indicators, safety and firefighting equipment, describing the boats design as detailed as possible.
For already built or near construction completion, each of the interested parties shall provide, the
full address of the location of the boat or boats offered, a Contact Point, and access authorization,
to enable the ACP at its discretion, to inspect the offered boat(s). The interested parties shall assist
the ACP inspection team, to organize the inspection trip and to inspect and test the boat(s) offered.
3. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS.
The boats shall be:
a. Mono hull, of V-type configuration, with an 18° minimum V at the transom.
b. All aluminum welded construction.
c. A minimum 13.5 meters in nominal length, and up to 19.8 meters maximum length,
including appendages and fenders.
d. The boats speed range shall be 18 knots minimum cruising speed, and up to 25 knots
maximum speed.
e. The hull and cabin shall be design for a 20 years’ service life. The hull´s bow and aft
corners shall be well rounded, and the beam at deck edge shall be widest at the shoulders
and be reduce gradually towards the transom.
f. The boats shall be twin propelled, diesel engine powered, with twin shafts and propellers.
The engines shall be EPA Tier III, heat exchanger cooled. Steering shall be hydraulic
powered, with twin rudders and emergency helm pump. The electrical system shall be 24
VDC. If provided with a generator, the AC bus shall be 240 Volts, 60 hertz. The engine
room ventilation system shall provide combustion air and engine room ventilation to
compensate for temperature rise. The engine room shall be provided with a NOVEC 1230
fire extinguishing system of automatic release.
g. The boats shall be capable to operate in weather state 6 conditions, 40° C ambient
temperature, 30 ° water temperature, 85% humidity and 28 meters altitude. The boats
design shall specifically be, for coastal pilot service, and shall be type approved, by an
International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) member, for the intended
service.
h. The boats fore deck, shall provide a stable, secure and dry boarding platform, while
performing boarding operations of ships underway. The boats shall be able, to easily come
alongside, hold station and break away from ships, traveling at speeds of up to eight knots.
i. The boats hull shall be well protected, with a proven heavy duty fender system, all around,
and guaranteed for a service life of five years minimum. The fender shall be double tier,
200 millimeters minimum, EPDM with a durometer shore A of 70 +/- 5. Extra fender
protection shall be install at the hull´s forward port and starboard quarters, or boarding
points.
j. The boats outside deck, shall be continuously smooth, ample and without breaks or steps,
all around, except for the sheer and camber curves. All hatches shall be flush with the deck.
The decks shall have a prominent nonskid finish. The engine hatch (es), shall permit to lift
out vertically, the engines from the engine room. A man overboard system shall be
provided, capable to recover an unconscious person from the water, and be preferably
installed, indented into the transom, to allow the boat docking stern to. The boat(s) shall be
provided with four lifting eyes.
k. The cabin shall house seating for four pilots minimum and two crews. It shall have
excellent visibility all around, and be ergonomically designed. The control console, shall
be equipped with all operating controls, a multi-function instrument and alarm display and
a comprehensive navigation and communication package. The cabin shall be fully air
conditioned for cooling only, and equipped with suspension type chairs for the pilots and
crew. At the cabin forward lower end, a sanitary facility, wash basin and kitchenette shall
be provided. The cabin shall be well insulated for heat and noise, and provide a relaxed
and comfortable ambient with a high quality esthetic finish. Insulation shall be applied to
the sides, overhead and deck of the cabin. The noise level in the cabin shall not exceed 75
dB (A). The windshield windows rake angles shall be adjusted for a north latitude of 9°.
4. CONTRACT CONDITIONS.
The eight boats shall be delivered by September 30th 2016, after Contract award. The Contractor is
responsible for all delivery activities, including the temporary registration of the boats with the
Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (Panama Maritime Authority - AMP), customs clearance,
unloading, and transportation to any of the destination points. The AMP could be contacted at the
following address: www.segumar.com. The AMP marine standards, norms and regulations may be
access at the following address: http://www.amp.gob.pa/newsite/spanish/home. The boats shall be
delivered as marine cargo.
Because time is a predominant factor, multiple awards can be made, to ensure the shortest
acquisition time possible of the eight boats.
The designated destination points are:


Building 5082, Mount Hope, Colón, Republic of Panama, on the Atlantic side; or,
Building 6007, Diablo, Panama, Republic of Panama, at the Pacific side.
The Contractor shall keep the boats, all appurtenances, components, materials, machinery,
equipment, etc. covered by a standard Builders Risk, Marine Cargo and Hull and Machinery
protection and indemnity insurance policies, from Contract award and during the entire period of
construction, transportation, inspection and testing, at any site, and until final acceptance at the
Panama Canal. The coverage shall be not less than the market value of each boat.
The Contractor shall also maintain Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance for each boat, to cover
for damages to third parties, property, personal injuries, salvage operations, pollution, collision,
wreck removal, the ACP and its employees, from their arrival at Canal’s waters and until Final
Acceptance. Its coverage shall be for not less than one million US Dollars.
Notwithstanding inspection and final acceptance, a Warranty shall be given for each boat by the
Contractor, for a period of 365 calendar days, beginning on the date of Final Acceptance, that each
boat, will be free from any defects, in construction, workmanship, materials, installation,
equipment, accessories, components and systems. The Contractor is responsible to take and to
ensure that corrective action is taken, at its expense, on any defect found in an expeditious manner.
Repairs or replacements in correcting any defect shall, initiate a new Warranty period of 365
calendar days, beginning on the date the correction is accepted by the ACP. If the ACP is compelled
to undertake any correction, to ensure the continuity of its operations, the Contractor will be liable
to the ACP, for the cost of the correction.
5. SHIPYARD EXPERIENCE.
The Shipyard to construct the boat(s) shall specialize in the construction of all aluminum, high
speed, offshore light surface crafts. The Shipyard shall have been established for the last fifteen
years. The Shipyard shall have built at least 15 each, high speed (18 knots or more) pilot, crew,
patrol, rescue, salvage or fire, all aluminum, inboard diesel engine, twin propelled (water jets or
propeller) boats, of 12 meters and over in length, during the last five (5) years. The constructed
boats, shall be the Shipyard´s design or from an independent Naval Architectural firm, built to
IACS Standards, US Coast Guard, US Navy, American Boat Yacht Council, and/or other
equivalent Rules and Standards. The design of the boats, shall be a proven design, with at least five
boats built. The interested parties, shall provide data and information to explicitly evidence all items
of this requirement.
Final Acceptance will be made, after satisfactory completion of operational tests, for five days, in
the performance of Pilot boarding services.
6. POINT OF CONTACT.
Interested parties shall deliver all information requested on paragraph 2. Work Statement and on
paragraph 5 shipyard experience. Also information regarding cost and payment terms need to be
send to Mrs. Ana Lorena Quintana, Contract Specialist, e-mail: AnaQuintana@pancanal.com;
telephone (507) 272-7035 before June 24, 2016.