Panama flag seafarer contract: what the SEA must contain, who stands behind it, where to complain
Verified flag-state facts (official registry or administration website, July 15, 2026) · MLC Contract Check, the free seafarer contract checker by 7SHORT1LONG®
Panama is the largest ship registry in the world by tonnage. Bulk carriers, tankers, container ships and a large part of the cruise fleet fly the Panamanian flag, which is why more seafarer employment agreements name Panama than any other flag state. The authority behind your contract is the Panama Maritime Authority, AMP.
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Who stands behind a Panama seafarer employment agreement
| Authority | Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), Department of Maritime Labour Affairs / General Directorate of Seafarers |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Panama implements MLC 2006 through Executive Decree No. 86 of 2013; the SEA is also governed by Panamanian maritime legislation. |
| MLC contact | mlcsegumar@amp.gob.pa |
| Alternative | mlc@segumar.com |
| Phone | +507 501 4241 |
The check cites only these verified Panama facts for flag matters and never invents national provisions. Where a flag-law detail would matter, the report says so and refers you to the administration.
How the Panama flag performs in port state control
| Paris MoU (Europe, Canada) | White list, rank 36 of 69 — inspections and detentions 2023-2025 |
|---|---|
| Tokyo MoU (Asia-Pacific) | High performance — inspections and detentions 2022-2024 |
| ITF | Listed as a flag of convenience |
| MLC 2006 | Party to the Convention |
These ratings describe how often ships under this flag were detained in port state control and whether the ITF lists the register as a flag of convenience. They say nothing about your contract. They tell you how much backing to expect from the flag state if something goes wrong. Sources: Paris MoU performance lists valid 2026-07-01 to 2027-07-06; Tokyo MoU Annual Report 2024, Table 8; ITF list of FOC registries 2025.
What every seafarer employment agreement must contain under the MLC
The flag implements the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 on board the ships flying it, so these minimums apply to a Panama-flag contract as they do to any other. The check reads your wording against each point:
- Parties, capacity, place and date. Your name, the shipowner's name and address, the ship, your rank, where and when you sign (MLC Standard A2.1, paragraph 4).
- Wages. Basic wage, overtime rate and leave pay stated separately, paid at least monthly with a written account (Standard A2.2). ILO floor for an able seafarer: USD 690 per month from January 1, 2026.
- Hours of rest. At least 10 hours in any 24-hour period and 77 in any 7 days (Standard A2.3).
- Paid annual leave. Minimum 2.5 calendar days per month of employment (Standard A2.4).
- Duration, termination and notice. Conditions for ending the agreement and a notice period of not less than 7 days; maximum service period before repatriation under 12 months (Standards A2.1 and A2.5).
- Repatriation at the shipowner's cost. No advance from you, no deduction from wages except in serious default (Standard A2.5).
- Medical care and shipowner liability. Sickness and injury on board and ashore (Regulation 4.2, Standard A4.2).
- No recruitment or placement fees. Only your own statutory documents are yours to pay (Standard A1.4, paragraph 5).
- Collective agreement named, if one applies, and no waiver of union contact or the right to complain (Regulation 5.1.5).
The ten points in plain language, with the standard to quote for each, are in 10 Red Flags in a Seafarer Contract.
Panama flag: where an MLC complaint goes
The ladder is the same under every flag. Supervisor, then the master through the on-board complaint procedure (every ship must have one, MLC Regulation 5.1.5), then the DPA and the company ashore, then the flag administration named above, then Port State Control in the next port, then an ITF inspector or your union. The MLC prohibits victimization for filing a complaint (Standard A5.1.5).
How the Panama administration handles MLC complaints in practice, with the paper trail to keep: read the Panama flag guide on The Muster Board.
ITF help and inspector lookup: itfseafarers.org/en/help.
Crew questions
Who handles an MLC complaint for a Panama-flagged ship?
Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), Department of Maritime Labour Affairs / General Directorate of Seafarers. MLC contact: mlcsegumar@amp.gob.pa. Alternative: mlc@segumar.com. Phone: +507 501 4241. Use the on-board complaint procedure first; the MLC protects you from victimization for using it (Standard A5.1.5).
Which law governs a seafarer employment agreement under the Panama flag?
Panama implements MLC 2006 through Executive Decree No. 86 of 2013; the SEA is also governed by Panamanian maritime legislation.
Can I check a Panama-flag contract before I sign?
Yes. The free MLC Contract Check reads your contract clause by clause against MLC 2006, ITF standards and the verified Panama flag-state facts on this page, and returns a color-coded report in about a minute. Nothing is stored.
Other flag states
Liberia · Marshall Islands · Bahamas · Malta · Italy · Bermuda · Hong Kong · Singapore · Netherlands · Germany · Cyprus · Portugal (Madeira / MAR) · Antigua and Barbuda · Norway (NOR / NIS) · Greece · Cayman Islands · Isle of Man · Gibraltar · United Kingdom · Denmark (DIS) · France (RIF) · Spain (Canary REC) · Croatia · Curacao · Barbados · China · Japan · South Korea · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Palau · Togo · Guinea-Bissau · Belize · Vanuatu · Vietnam · Comoros · Tanzania (Zanzibar) · Cameroon · Philippines · India · Indonesia · Russia · Türkiye · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sierra Leone · Cook Islands · Tuvalu · Thailand · Egypt · Bangladesh · United States · Luxembourg · Belgium · Sweden · Finland · Ireland · Faroe Islands · Saudi Arabia
Any other flag runs against the full MLC 2006 baseline without flag-specific contacts. Sources and scope: methodology and sources. Automated AI document check, not legal advice.
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