MLS & Associates

Area of Practices

Shipping

Panama Ship Registry offers many advantages of considerable interests to shipowners who wish to register their vessels under our flag. The following are some of the advantages that our registry offers:

No nationality restrictions to individuals or corporations.
No minimum tonnage required.
No re-inspection required upon vessels of shipowners who wish to transfer the same to Panamanian flag, provided they carry valid safety and tonnage certificates issued by a recognized classification society.
The registration procedure of a vessel under Panamanian flag is very simple and of swift expedition.
Dual Registration for Bareboat Charter
Special Registration for Delivery or Demolition.
Commercial operations carried out by Panama flagged vessels engaged in international trade are exempted from local income tax.
Mobile offshore Drilling Units (MODUS) operators and owners are entitled to competitive registration fees and exempted of any additional fees for the following 2 years after enrollment.

MLS & Associates provides the following Maritime legal services:

1. Ship Registry

Regular Registration
Bareboat charter (in/out) registrations
Special registration due to Testing, Delivery or Scrap/Demolition
Yacht's Registration

2. Discount Applications
3. Ship Registration of Mortgage including the followings services:

Review of Mortgage Agreements
Drafting of Mortgage Agreements
Legal Opinion
Discharge of Mortgage

4. Obtainment of Fishing License (Capture) and International License of Transshipment Transport and Support vessels and the others following assignments:

Inclusion in the Fishing areas of services i.e. WCPFC/ICCAT/
SPRFMO/ IATTC
Coordination of Initial Inspection carry out by ARAP
Coordination of Sanitary Inspection carry out by Ministry of Health
UE Certificate due to amendments or changes
ARAP Certifications
Coordination and installation of VMS equipment through CLS Panama

5. Counseling in ship sales and financial transactions, Bill of Lading, voyage and Time Charter party contracts, Towage contracts and Salvage contracts.
6. Filing of reconsideration recourse/appeals against fines imposed by the Panama Maritime Authority to any Panamanian Flagged vessel.
7. Filing of application to obtain Non encumbrance and Good Standing Certificates
8. Review/obtainment of Ship station licenses
9. Public Registry and Merchant Marine Searches.
10. Filing application for discounts in the initial registration
11. Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR)
12. International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC)
13. Minimum Safe Manning (MSMC)
14. Tonnage Certificate (ITC) due to change of vessel’s name
15. Bunker Certificates/CLC Certificates
16. Wreck Certificates
17. CSO/ISM Declaration
18. Exemption Certificates
19. Authorizations
20. Approval for Private Security Companies
21. DMLC Part I
22. Ballast Water Management Plan (BWMP) and International Ballast Water Management Certificate (IBWMC).

Our office can also provide Registration or any other assignment of vessels under the following registries: