What is a Seaman's Book?

Contact Us for assistance in filing/processing your flag state Seaferers documentation (Panama/Belize)

A Panama Seaman Book or Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) is an Identification book and a continuous record of a seaman’s service.

A Seaman Book or a CDC booklet certifies that the person holding this document is a seaman as per The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, as amended 1995.

Every seafarer must carry a valid Seaman Book or CDC while on board, which is also an official and legal record of his sea experience or sea service. The Master or Captain of the vessel signs the relevant seaman book page each time a seaman is signed-off from his vessel thereby certifying the seaman's experience onboard.

A Seaman Book is one of the most crucial documentation while a seaman is travelling onboard. All Shipping Companies, owners, operators, managers or manning agents prefer applicants for shortlisting for interviews who hold valid seaman book or CDC in their possession.

A valid national passport, STCW certification and a Seaman's Book or CDC are considered essential travel-ready documents for applying for a shipping or maritime job or career. In order for a Seaman or seafarer to join any port of entry across the world, a seafarer or seaman may require a crew transit visa.

Therefore, a Seaman's Book or Continuous discharge certificate (CDC) is one of the mandatory document for applying such transit visas in order to establish himself / herself as a Seafarer.

Click here for Specimen Panama Seaman Book or CDC

FAQs

  • Belize State Flag Seaman Book
      Validity - 5 years from date of issue
      Time required to process : 01 working day
      Online verification available
      Fees: Available on request (info@reichshipping.com)
  • Panama Flagged Seaman Book
      Validity - 5 years from date of issue
      Time required to process : 15 - 20 working days
      Blue chit (provisional certificate) issued within 1 day
      Fees: Available on request (info@reichshipping.com)
  • How to Apply?

    Call us and forward the requisite scanned documents by email OR Send the documents by courier / speed post to our office address and get the processed Seamans Book / CDC / CoC by courier or speed post to your destination.

    The payment of requisite fees can be delivered to us at our office or remitted by Money order/Cash/Bank Draft/Wire transfer/Internet Banking transfer/Cash deposit/Western Union from anywhere across the world to our corporate current account. Once the deposit or remittence of fees is done, the proof of payment needs to be emailed to us at info@reichshipping.com