The head of Panama's diplomacy stated that ships under the Panamanian flag “must comply with our country's regulations and international maritime legislation.” Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha reported that Panamanian-flagged vessels intercepted by the United States in Caribbean waters did not comply with Panamanian maritime law or international standards. “All these variables are alerts that force us to make decisions so that our fleet, as a merchant marine, is respected and complies with all our country's regulations and international maritime norms,” emphasized Minister Martínez-Acha. He added that the Panamanian government is closely monitoring these incidents to make appropriate decisions based on the data acquired. Panama must ensure that “our flag is being used responsibly and we have acted in accordance with international maritime law,” he specified. He mentioned the renaming of one of the vessels, inconsistencies between the crew's identities and the records, as well as the disconnection of the location system. These are the ships Centuries and Bella 1, on which, according to the chancellor, multiple irregularities were detected during inspections.
Panama Investigates Violations on Its Ships in Caribbean Waters
Panama's Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha stated that two Panamanian-flagged ships intercepted by the US violated national and international law. The country's authorities are investigating the incidents with the Centuries and Bella 1 ships to protect its merchant marine's reputation.
