Panama removes over 650 ships from registry amid sanctions, stricter rules

3/6/2025 13:32

Panama's Maritime Authority has removed from its registry more than 650 vessels since 2019 as part of an effort to fulfill U.S. sanctions and enforce stricter rules for the ships it flags, it said on Monday.



A total of 214 vessels have been withdrawn from Panama's registry, among the world's largest with more than 8,500 ships, since it began implementing measures last year allowing it to act faster to help enforce sanctions, the authority added.



Ships cannot sail under Panama's flag once they are removed from its registry.



Panama responded to criticism by non-governmental organization United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which last week said Panama had not taken sufficient action against sanction violators and asked it to "immediately cease facilitating Iran's illicit oil trade" and withdraw its flag from all tankers carrying Iranian oil.



According to UANI, nearly one in five vessels suspected of transporting Iranian oil sails under Panama's flag.