Any foreign or Panamanian national may register a vessel in the Panamanian Merchant Marine. International service vessels are exempt from Panama income tax. Shipowners take advantage of the flexibility of Panamanian offshore corporations by having such entity appear as owner of the vessel. Any ship may be registered provided it complies with the minimum seaworthiness, safety and environmental conditions required by international conventions. However, ships over 20 years old are subject to a special inspection before being granted a statutory certificate of registry.

Panama has established a specialized maritime tribunal to deal with complicated maritime disputes. Whether these involve vessels, breach of charter agreements, contractual or labour disputes, or damages to cargo or valuables during shipping, experts are available to resolve the dispute, ensuring the continuation of trade internationally. Panama retains jurisdiction in arrest cases to resolve the principal dispute. Lawyers Panama ( ABADAS ) has experienced attorneys that can assist in maritime litigation of any type, including:

- Ship arrest and injuctive relief,
- Defense of personal injury claims,
- Bunker claims,
- Carriage of goods claims,
- Charterparty disputes,
- Marine insurance and reinsurance claims,
- Collision, salvage and related marine casualties,
- General average and cargo transhipment,
- Shipbuilding, ship repair, ship sale and MOA disputes

 

---