Ship Registration – Procedures
The ship registration procedure starts by applying through the
Consulate General of Panama in Hong Kong.
- Provisional Registration: A Provisional Navigation Patent and Radio License shall be issued upon the filing of a complete description (download form) of the vessel together with the current SMC and the new DOC, paying the corresponding registration fees and taxes. The process takes approximately one working day.
- Permanent Patent: The respective Title Deed must be duly recorded in the Public Registry of the Republic of Panama within the six (6) months after the issuance of the Provisional Navigation Patent. After its recordal, an application must be filed to procure the issuance of the Permanent Patent of Navigation, valid for five (5) years.
Documents & information required:
- Special power of attorney from the owners, appointing a lawyer or law firm in Panama as legal representative of the vessel.
- Deletion or Cancellation Certificate from the former flag of the vessel. This requirement dose not apply to new building vessels.
- Bill of Sale or Builder’s Certificate.
- In addition to the Bill of Sale or Builder’s Certificate, a separate or attached document should be submitted containing the Acceptance of Sale from the buyer.
(All the above mentioned original documents must be notarized by Notary Public and legalized by Panama Consulate or Apostilled) - Copy of the vessel’s full term International Tonnage Certificate (ITC) or valid interim ITC
- Copy of vessel’s SMC under Panamanian Registry
- Copy IOPP (if the vessel is a Tanker)
- Radio License: It is a legal requirement that the ships under Panamanian Registry must carry on board a Radio License issued by the Panama Government. To that effect, the corresponding application must be filled in (download form), and filed before the Directorate General of Merchant Marine in Panama within the six (6) months after the issuance of the Provisional Radio License.