For more than three months, the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) has maintained a successful coordination, along with other Panamanian entities, which has favored that all ships arriving in Panamanian waters, could carry out their various operations, with all the necessary biosafety measures established to guarantee the development of safe services.

The Secretary General of the AMP, Elvia Bustavino, along with personnel from the entity, traveled to the Panamanian Pacific area where, among other, five cruise ships are anchored, which confirms the support of the Republic of Panama with the global maritime industry, as it reflects the success achieved by the technical-commercial strategy deployed during this pandemic by the AMP on behalf of seafarers and the maritime sector in general.

The Panama Maritime Authority has kept working during the Covid-19 pandemic to attract this type of passenger ships, with the purpose that, from our national waters could be carried out with total safety, some of the operations normally conducted by these vessels, such as: the change of crew and the use of auxiliary maritime services.

Based on the protocols established within the Instructions for Repatriation, Boarding or Disembarkation of Crewmembers during the Covid-19 pandemic period, prepared by the Republic of Panama, numerous ships have chosen our territorial waters to carry out their crew changes, according to the seven different modalities collected in this instruction.

And, the impact of these operations for our country has been extremely important, as mentioned by the Secretary General of the AMP: «since all these ships are receiving in our country services offered by the Panamanian auxiliary maritime industries, which represents a great economic benefit, while demonstrating the trust that cruise lines have placed in our protocols, in our maritime services and in Panama, as a great maritime humanitarian hub.

One of the main focuses of the AMP for the reactivation of the maritime industry happens because these auxiliary services that currently have helped to support and reactivate the national economy, such as: the supply of fuels, the collection of MARPOL waste, the provision of supplies and provisions, as well as technical services, continue to be developed in Panama.

In this, the strategic geographical position of our nation and the good service offered by the Panamanian industry during these months, will be the spearhead of the AMP with which it will attract more ships and cruise ships, who choose Panama, as well as a port of destination of its routes, or as a country where to come to perform auxiliary maritime services.

Source: Panama Maritime Authority