The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) participated in the 36th Meeting of the Port State Control Committee of the Memorandum of Understanding of Tokyo (Tokyo MOU), held in Hong Kong, China, from October 20 to 23, 2025. The delegation reaffirmed Panama’s commitment to maritime safety, environmental protection, and the welfare of seafarers.
Engineer Jairo Sánchez, from PMA’s Directorate General of Merchant Marine, represented Panama at the summit, which brought together 22 maritime authorities from the Asia-Pacific region, alongside delegates from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
During the sessions, member states adopted key measures to enhance maritime compliance standards, including:
- Assessments on working conditions and ballast water management
- New technical guidelines for Port State Control Officers
- A performance evaluation and publication system for shipping companies
- The 2026–2030 Strategic Plan, focused on technical cooperation, energy transition to green fuels, and digitalization of the maritime sector
As an active member of the Tokyo MOU, Panama promotes harmonized inspection procedures and strengthens international cooperation with other regional mechanisms such as the Paris MoU and the Viña del Mar Agreement, ensuring high compliance standards across its merchant fleet.
The PMA reiterated its commitment to working closely with the Tokyo MOU Secretariat and member states to advance safer, more efficient, and sustainable maritime transport—reaffirming Panama’s leadership in the global maritime arena.
Source: PMA Press Release