Panama has reinforced its oversight of the national ship registry by implementing stricter measures aimed at preventing the improper use of its flag. According to the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA), the initiative reflects the country’s commitment to protecting the credibility of its registry and strengthening control over vessels that fail to meet compliance, environmental, or transparency standards.
The PMA said its strategy is focused on maintaining a more modern fleet made up of younger vessels and cleaner energy technologies, while also accelerating the deregistration of ships considered non-compliant, polluting, or linked to opaque backgrounds. Authorities also noted that monitoring systems are being strengthened and registry data on Panama-flagged vessels is being updated to improve oversight.
As part of this policy, Panama has adopted legal instruments including Executive Decree No. 512 of 2024 and Resolution No. 106-003-DGMM, issued on January 3, 2025. Under Executive Decree No. 512, if the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine identifies that a vessel or its owner appears on an applicable international sanctions list, the deregistration process is initiated immediately. Since the measure took effect, it has been applied to 125 vessels, resulting in 107 cancellations, with 18 additional cases under review.
Of the ships removed from the registry, 83 were listed by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), 32 appeared on the European Union sanctions list, and 10 were included on United Kingdom sanctions lists. Beyond this decree, Panama also relies on other legal tools to remove vessels tied to illicit activities, including provisions related to smuggling, illegal trade, piracy, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the financing of terrorism.
Through these actions, Panama is seeking to ensure a more transparent, responsible, and internationally aligned ship registry, reinforcing its role as one of the world’s leading maritime flags while signaling a firm stance against misconduct in the sector.
