PMC Opens Membership to International Shipowners

Jose Digeronimo, chairman of the Panama Maritime Chamber said: “There are over 9,000 vessels registered under the Panama flag, and our aim is to involve and help shipowners with representation, information, education, networking, trade missions and most important, lobbying on their behalf”.

Digeronimo added: “I am sure that by joining, shipowners will realise added value, as we are the shipowners’ representatives in all the tri-partite meetings being held in Panama in respect of the Maritime Labour Convention.” He continued: “With the latest ratification, 20 ILO member states, representing over 54 per cent of the world gross tonnage of ships, are now parties to the Convention. Of the 20 ratifications, nine have been received in 2011. It is expected that the additional 10 ratifications will occur in the next two months making it possible for the MLC, 2006 to enter into force in 2012.”

Other reason to join PMC is that it can afford its members representation before the Panama Canal, the Panama Maritime Authority, the Colon Free Zone, and the whole of the local maritime cluster.

Earlier in the year, during a visit to Panama, the Maritime Chamber presented to Navios Holdings Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Angeliki Frangou, the PMC International Member Certificate number 0001, as recognition of the many years in which her company has been a supporter of Panama.