Panama Vessel Registration | Procedures Outline:
The registration of a ship under the Panama flag is very simple and it is initiated with its Provisional Registration, once the provisional registration is obtained. The client will have up to 6 months to present the documents and requirements for obtaining the Permanent Registration of the vessel.
Provisional Registration
The application for the provisional registration of a ship may be submitted before a Panamanian Consul abroad or directly in the City of Panama, before the Panama Maritime Direction by the legal representative of the owners.
If the Provisional Registration is made in Panama, Our Firm can file the application for the registration. In this case, you must send us, the documents and the government fees to be paid in Panama.
Information required from the vessel:
To obtain the Provisional Navigation and Radio License in Panama, the interested party must provide the following information:
- Name of the vessel
- Owner’s name and address
- Previous name of the vessel
- Previous nationality
- Place of build
- Date of build
- Builders
- Number of decks, mats and funnel
- Material of the hull
- Length, breadth and depth
- Tonnage: gross and net
- Kind of service given by the vessel
- Type and number of engines
- Type and number of cylinders
- Brand and name of manufacturers
- Speed of the vessel
- Horse powers
- Name of the classification Society
- Authority in charge of the radio accounts
- Information about the radio and equipment
- Areas of navigation
- Type of call letters
Permanent Registration:
Within a period of 6 months after the issuance of the provisional navigation license, the bill of sale or a builder’s certificate for cases of newly constructed vessels, must be registered at the Public Registry office in Panama.
Documents Required for the Permanent Registration:
- Proof of ownership (Bill of Sale or Building Certificate)
- Power of attorney on behalf of Firm for registering the vessel (we will provide draft)
- Technical certificates
- Deletion certificate / cancellation of previous registry (not required for new vessels)
- Tonnage Certificate, issued by an authorized classification society on behalf of the Republic of Panama
- Confirmation of the authority in charge of the radio accounts
- Radio application forms, duly filled out
- The vessels that are 20 years old require a special inspection to enter to the Panamanian Registry
Regarding the Bill of Sale / Building Certificate:
The Bill of Sale must be authenticated by a Notary Public, who must state, out of his knowledge and not by way of deposition, “that the seller of the vessel was at the time of sale, the legal owner of the vessel and that the person acting in his behalf was duly authorized to do so”.
In case of a new Building Certificate, there must be a declaration by the builder stating that “the vessel has been built by order and on account of the buyer”. The Notary’s signature must be duly authenticated by a Panamanian Consul or by Apostille.
The Bill of Sale and the Builder’s Certificate should also state that the buyer has accepted the sale or transfer of the vessel, which should also be authenticated and legalized by a Consul of Panama.
Costs & Fees:
Please send us the Tonnage information of the vessel along with the type of vessel in order to obtain a formal quotation including the taxes for the vessel enrollment under the Panama Flag and our fees the registration services.