The Panama Maritime Authority (PMA) reported that it has marked a turning point in the management of its services with the launch of the first phase of its ambitious Electronic Vessel Registry (REN).
This is a significant step towards the modernization of the management and the procedures related to a vessel registration in Panama.
Panama offers two vital registry services, the ship registration through the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine (DGMM) and the Public Registry of Ship Ownership of Panama (DGRPN), which manages the documentation and the certification of property titles, mortgages, and naval liens.
One of the main goals of the REN is to unify the management systems of the DGMM and DGRPN.
“This integration will simplify procedures for both national and international users through an intuitive web-based platform,” the PMA says in its release, adding that the tool is designed to enable remote access for inquiries, application tracking, and submissions, removing geographical barriers and significantly streamlining processing times.
Ramón Franco, director general of the Merchant Marine at the PMA, emphasizes the strategic importance of this initiative: “Implementing modern, custom-built platforms is essential for maintaining our international leadership.
“These tools allow us to restructure response times and tracking processes for the Panamanian fleet, enhancing the experience for our nearly 9,000 registered vessels. This reinforces our standing as the world’s largest open registry.”
