Panama Ratifies IHO Convention

The National Assembly of Panama approved in July last year Bill 202, whereby the Convention relating to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), signed in Monaco on May 3, 1967, and amended by the Protocol of April 14, 2005, is ratified. With this instrument, Panama joins international efforts to organize and standardize hydrography, a discipline focused on the study and survey of information on terrestrial and maritime waters, for the benefit of navigational safety. In this context, the Administrator of the AMP, Luis Roquebert, reiterated the institution's full willingness to lead the development of a national roadmap with short, medium, and long-term actions aimed at consolidating Panama's participation in the IHO. In turn, the Director of the IHO, Luigi Sinapi, presented the organization's strategic vision, highlighting the benefits for member countries from the full implementation of the convention, including access to technical cooperation, modernization of hydrographic capabilities, and alignment with international standards. The Maritime Authority of Panama (AMP), in coordination with the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), is promoting the initiation and strengthening of the country's participation in the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) as part of a strategy oriented toward national hydrographic development. It also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the active presence of the country in regional forums and working groups, prioritizing the technical and public policy contributions expected of Panama as a Member State. This process represents a key step for the Panamanian State, enabling it to strengthen the fulfillment of international hydrographic obligations, which are fundamental to guaranteeing navigational safety, the protection of human life at sea, and the preservation of the marine environment, among other priorities for the maritime, port, and logistics sectors. These steps follow the enactment of Law 202 on July 17, 2025, whereby Panama adopts the Convention relating to the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). These commitments also constitute essential pillars within the periodic audits conducted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for its Member States.