Panama Implements Strict Measures to Protect the Integrity of Its National Flag

[By: Panama Maritime Authority]

The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) is on a mission to enhance its merchant fleet. This initiative showcases the country’s dedication to maintaining a stellar reputation,supported by over a century of expertise in maritime registration.

“We aim to keep our fleet modern and eco-friendly,” shared Rina Berrocal, Acting Director General of the Merchant Marine. “To achieve this, we’re rolling out regulations that streamline the process for removing vessels that don’t meet compliance standards or have questionable backgrounds. We’re also stepping up our monitoring efforts and updating information on ships flying the Panamanian flag.”

Alexander De Gracia, Deputy Administrator at AMP, elaborated on thier strategy: The Panamanian Ship Registry has embraced a strict stance against misuse of vessel registrations.This includes significant legal frameworks like Executive Decree No. 512 from 2024 and Resolution no.106-003-DGMM issued on January 3, 2025. If any ship or its owner is found on international sanctions lists under this decree, deregistration kicks off promptly. Since it was introduced, this decree has led to the removal of 125 vessels—107 have been canceled outright while another 18 cases are still being evaluated.

A breakdown shows that among those deregistered, 83 were flagged by the U.S., with others appearing on watchlists from both the EU (32) and UK (10).

PMA isn’t stopping there; they’ve got additional strategies for tackling vessels involved in illegal activities:

• Article 49 of law No. 57 (2008): Automatically cancels registration for ships caught smuggling or engaging in piracy.
• Executive Decree No. 245 (November 21,2022): Targets fishing boats involved in Illegal,Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
• Executive Decree No. 32 (February 4, 2018): Addresses issues related to financing terrorism through maritime operations.

The current governance is committed to refining regulations further so they can oversee registered vessels more effectively while aligning with global maritime standards and conventions. With these proactive measures in place, Panama reinforces its pledge towards responsible management of its ship registry.