Panama Says Has No Knowledge of Iranian-owned Ships On Registry

Panama's maritime authority said on Monday it has no knowledge of ships owned by Iranians being in its registry, following concerns from U.S. authorities on the matter.

The United States asked Panama last week to ban Iranian vessels sanctioned by Washington from using its flag, as officials looked into the possibility that Panamanian-flagged vessels were used to transport Iranian oil.

Panama said it has not received formal requests to cancel registries since 2020.

The Central American country has the largest ship registry in the world, with more than 8,000 vessels sailing with its flag.

It provides so-called "flags of convenience" that allow ship owners to register their vessels in a country to which they have no link in exchange for a fee and freedom from oversight.

(Reporting by Elida Moreno; Editing by Sarah Morland)