Panama Cracks Down On Sanctioned Ships, 107 Removed From Ship Registry

Panama has taken a bold step in enforcing international regulations by removing 107 ships from its official registry as these ships were sanctioned. An additional 18 will also be removed. Panama Maritime Administration, the agency which oversees ship registrations in the nation made this announcement on March 28, 2025.

The agency stated that the vessels removed from the Panamanian registry were ones that were on the warning lists of OFAC, the EU and the UK.

This step was taken in accordance with a law passed in 2024 which allows the Panama Maritime Administration to cancel the registration of vessels and owners if they are mentioned in any international sanctions list.

Several ships are registered in Panama to take advantage of its low fees and fewer regulations, however,r officials are now identifying vessels that might be part of illegal activities.

The department said that this measure would make sure that no ship or owners linked with suspicious activities could operate under the flag of Panama.

The agency is also working to strengthen Panama’s merchant fleet.

Apart from this, Panama faced another issue regarding the passage of American government ships through the Panama Canal.

On February 5, 2025, the U.S. State Department claimed that Panama had decided to waive transit fees for American government vessels; however, the next day, Panama’s President denied these claims.

This aroused discussions about Panama’s policies regarding the Panama Canal, one of the most important shipping lanes in the world.

Both developments highlight Panama’s efforts in regulating its maritime industry.

References: mfame, en.iz.ru

Source: Maritime Shipping News