Panama Maritime Authority News

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) announced that Cyprus officially recommended the ICS International Medical Guide for Seafarers and Fishers for use on board vessels under its flag.The Republic of Cyprus Deputy Shipping Ministry has issued a circular to its fleet recommending the comprehensive medical guide, joining an expanding list of leading flag states that recognize the guide's value in protecting seafarer and fisher health and safety. In addition to recommending inclusion of the guide in the list of publications to be on board Cyprus flagged ships…

Panama Ports Company (PPC), a unit of Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison 0001.HK, said on Monday that the Panamanian government failed to file its response by the March 13 deadline in an international arbitration brought by the company.PPC said the deadline was set by the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and that Panama sought a partial extension, saying it was not ready to respond because it had not hired lawyers and needed time…

Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday Panama authorities had threatened its employees with criminal prosecution if they refused to leave two strategic canal ports at the centre of a legal battle that has embroiled Beijing and Washington.CK Hutchison said Panama's decision to cancel key port contracts and grant temporary licences to Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping (MSC) was 'unlawful' as it considers national and international legal action against Panama and third…

Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said on Tuesday Panama authorities had threatened its employees with criminal prosecution if they defied orders to leave two strategic canal ports at the centre of a legal battle that has embroiled Beijing and Washington.CK Hutchison said Panama's decision to cancel key port contracts and grant temporary licences to Maersk and the Mediterranean Shipping (MSC) was 'unlawful' as it considers national and international legal action against the…

Panama's Supreme Court has annulled key port contracts held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison, leaving the future ownership of some Panama Canal operations unclear and possibly upsetting its plans to sell some terminals.Panama Ports Company (PPC), a CK Hutchison subsidiary, has held contracts since the 1990s to operate container terminals at the canal's Pacific and Atlantic entrances, separate from the waterway's operations.The decision could disrupt CK Hutchison's proposed $23 billion sale of dozens of ports worldwide…

Panama's maritime authority on Thursday said it had canceled in January of last year the flag of the M Sophia, a Venezuela-linked oil tanker seized by the U.S. military this week.The U.S. military's Southern Command on Wednesday said it had intercepted the M Sophia before dawn, and described it as a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker." Panamanian authorities canceled the supertanker's flag on January 23, 2025, the AMP authority said in a statement.The maritime authority also said the Bella-1, a Russian-flagged tanker the U.S.

The International Flag-State Association (IFA), an association of the world’s three largest registries—Liberia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Panama—has been meeting since 2021. IFA is the first alliance of its kind and was designed to allow its members to have a platform to more formally engage with respect to global challenges, stakeholder insight, and the development and implementation of international instruments to enhance maritime safety, security…

Panama is participating this week in the 34th session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the most significant forum within the global maritime system and the specialized governing body of the United Nations, from November 24 to 28. This setting defines the policies, standards, and priorities that will shape the international maritime agenda in the years ahead.The Panamanian delegation is composed of Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the IMO…

ClassNK has issued an approval in principle (AiP) for a methanol fuel tank design concept developed by SRC Group, which uses a Sandwich Plate System (SPS) technology to almost double shipboard storage capacity for both methanol and ethanol.The certification demonstrates its feasibility from regulatory and safety perspectives.With the growing adoption of alternative fuels such as methanol in the maritime industry, the development of safe and efficient fuel storage solutions has become increasingly important.In contrast to traditional fuel tanks…

President José Raúl Mulino met with more than 40 representatives of shipping companies from Japan’s Kanto region, where he presented Panama’s new ship registry strategy aimed at safeguarding its global leadership through enhanced safety standards and fully digitalized processes.Mulino emphasized that Panama’s registry is positioning itself as the flag of the future, driven by new policies aligned with international benchmarks for safety, efficiency, and environmental protection.The stakes are high for Japan: 7 out of 10 Japanese shipowners already fly the Panamanian flag…

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA), through the Directorate General of Merchant Marine (DGMM), held a roundtable with the International Association of Recognized Organizations (IARO) to review, update, and align Panama’s Ship Registry regulations with the demands of the global market.The meeting brought together PMA officials and leading classification societies within the IARO, marking a decisive step toward modernizing Panama’s ship registration regime. Discussions focused on key industry challenges…

Arsenio Domínguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), carried out an official visit to the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) as part of his first mission to the country since taking office in January 2024.He was welcomed by Luis Roquebert, Administrator of the PMA, together with the institution’s directors and deputy directors.The highlight of the visit was the forum “Empowering Women in the Maritime Sector: A Call to Action on Training, Visibility…

Panama's maritime authority (AMP) said on Monday it has launched a process to cancel the registrations of 17 vessels included in a list of sanctions from the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)."The AMP has tightened its control mechanisms to avoid the inclusion of unwanted actors under the Panamanian flag," it said in a statement, saying this followed the recent addition of a company, a Panamanian citizen and 17 vessels registered on Panama's ship registry on an OFAC sanctions list.(Reuters)

The General Directorate of Merchant Marine (DGMM) of the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has issued a series of warnings to Panamanian-flagged vessels due to rising tensions in the Middle East, through Maritime Notice MMN-04/2025.The DGMM highlighted the security risks faced by vessels operating near Iran, Israel, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and the Strait of Hormuz, as a result of the ongoing regional conflict, which could directly impact ships and their crews.The PMA…

The Government of Panama rejects the claims made by Mark D. Wallace, CEO of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) in recent publications circulated through the media and electronic mail worldwide. Panama, through its Panama Maritime Authority (referred to by its Spanish acronym AMP), the entity in charge of the Panama Ship Registry, as the governing body of the Panamanian maritime sector, has de-flagged more than 650 ships from its registry since 2019 in compliance with the United…

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has strengthened its collaborative ties with the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) during a recent visit by ITF delegates to the General Directorate of Seafarers (DGGM). The meeting focused on reinforcing the protection and well-being of seafarers sailing under the Panamanian flag.A central highlight of the meeting was the DGGM’s achievement in recovering $8.5 million in outstanding wages for seafarers by the end of 2024. This figure marks a 52.7% increase compared to the previous year’s recovery of $5…

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has announced a 12% rise in employment contracts for Panamanian seafarers during the first four months of 2025, a promising result attributed to the strategic efforts led by the Seafarer Recruitment Committee.During the closing session of the Committee’s 17th meeting, Felipe Arias, Acting Director General of Seafarers (DGGM), reaffirmed the PMA’s steadfast commitment to generating quality employment within the maritime, logistics, and port sectors.

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) is implementing necessary measures to refine its merchant fleet to safeguard its reputation.Under Executive Decree No. 512, if the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine (DGGM) becomes aware that a vessel within Panama’s merchant fleet, or its owner, appears on one of the international sanctions’ lists referenced in this legal framework, a deregistration process is immediately initiated.Since its enactment, the decree has been applied to 125 vessels…

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) has officially deregistered 107 Panamanian-flagged vessels listed under international sanctions, with an additional 18 currently undergoing the deregistration process.The deregistered vessels had been identified for compliance concerns or were listed on sanctions list issued by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the EU and the UK.To prevent high-risk vessels from entering the Panamanian Registry, the pre-registration analysis process…

Panama has achieved a 96.5% compliance rate with international maritime safety and environmental protection standards. The Panamanian fleet undergoes regular evaluations based on criteria established by key international frameworks, including various Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) such as Paris, Tokyo, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Caribbean, Riyadh, Abuja, and the Viña del MarAgreement.In its ongoing efforts to enhance fleet quality…

The Panamanian-flagged tanker Nestos (IMO 9417464) played a pivotal role in a search and rescue mission, coordinated with the Greek Coast Guard, to save a distressed vessel.As reported by the Designated Person Ashore (DPA), the Nestos responded immediately to the call from Greek authorities, exemplifying exceptional readiness and unwavering commitment to maritime safety.Through the swift and skilled actions of its crew, 73 individuals were successfully rescued. Onboard, the survivors received comprehensive care…

The Panama Maritime Authority has initiated the expedited cancellation of six Panamanian vessels included in the UK Sanctions List – Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets in the UK.The six ships were added to the UK list on November 25.“The State has the responsibility to guarantee the well-being of the Panamanian Registry, free of international sanctions and of vessels linked to or included in sanctions lists that may affect the prestige of the flag. This is a priority issue for this administration…

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) celebrated the signing of a historic agreement between Columbus University and Kobe University, marking a pivotal step toward strengthening maritime education and research in the country.“We are witnessing a strategic alliance that will not only facilitate the training of highly skilled professionals but also promote research on key maritime topics, solidifying Panama’s position as a global leader in this sector,” said Maryluz Castillo, Director…