Alfonso Castillero has stepped down from the highest position with the Panamanian registry, accepting a Vice Presidential role at the Liberian Registry.
The Panama Martime Authority has launched a first of its kind digital inspection data collecting system, recently described in a March 2014 Fairplay article.
Panama Maritime Authority Director Alfonso Castillero stands by the registry's policy to not release accident reports publicly, arguing that sharing them with other flag states is more effective and sufficient.
Taiwan Co-operative Bank now requires permanent registrations of Panamanian mortgages in order to provide ship financing, a move which could potentially start a trend in the industry.
Unions are challenging the Panamanian Registry for its claims that cadets are not protected by the minimum labor standards set forth by the Maritime Labor Convention.
