The Panama Maritime Authority has provided its support to national and international actions aimed at the well-being of seafarers, valuing and assuming that they are “Essential Workers”.
For this reason, Panama supports the Neptune Declaration on the Welfare of Seafarers and the Change of Crews.
In March 2020, Panama became the first country in the world to provide humanitarian assistance to the cruises “Zaandam” and “Rotterdam”, when transferring their passengers and crew, they managed the delivery of supplies, medicines, medical equipment while their transit through the Panama Canal was coordinated.
In addition, Panama applies recommendations relative to the prevailing need for safe crew changes while establishing the protocols to carry them out safely. Support was also given to the IMO’s decision to designate seafarers as “Essential Workers”, effective 17 May 2020.
Following these guidelines, it drew up our own protocols called “Diagram of the modalities for repatriation, disembarkation and boarding of crew members”, which through seven different modalities guarantee safe crew changes.
This deployment was carried out at a rate and scale never before seen in our country through sea, air and land, which included various government institutions, shipping companies and shipping agencies, acting in a synchronized manner
In addition, Panama expresses its support to the various declarations and guidelines that at the national and international level, are coordinated with the purpose of promoting the vaccination of seafarers against COVID-19.
We make sure that these labor rights are complied with on board Panamanian-flagged vessels, even in times of pandemic in which efforts have been redoubled so that all seafarers who are on our ships, maintain their current employment contracts and are guaranteed the payment of their salaries
