As part of the effort for cooperation and the application of transparency regulations that Panama has been carrying out to adopt measures to protect and defend the marine environment, given that it is the country with the largest merchant marine in the world, Panama’s Maritime Authority has announced to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that it is now party to the International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.

This convention intends to address all aspects related to recycling ships, including issues about substances that are potentially dangerous for the environment, which deplete the ozone layer, contaminate the seas or can be potentially harmful for marine fauna and for human beings. 

With Panama joining the ranks, a total of five countries have ratified this convention. Previously France, Belgium, Norway, and the Republic of Congo had joined, representing approximately 2% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant marine fleet. It is calculated that Panama possesses approximately 330 million tons of dead weight, representing 18% of the world’s merchant marine fleet.