Imabari, Japan – The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) actively participated in the renowned maritime exhibition BARISHIP 2025, held in the city of Imabari, Japan, reaffirming its leadership in the international maritime sector and strengthening strategic ties with key players in the Asian industry.
The Panamanian delegation was led by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Administrator of the MPA, Luis Roquebert, who was guest of honor at the opening ceremony and ribbon cutting of the event, together with the Mayor of Imabari, Shigeki Tokunaga, members of the Imabari Maritime City Promotion Committee, and representatives of the organizer Informa Market.
During the exhibition, Panama inaugurated its official stand, with the presence of the Ambassador of Japan in Panama, Kazuyoshi Matsunaga, President of Imabari Shipbuilding, Yukito Higaki, and Mayor Tokunaga. The Panamanian stand received more than 15,000 visitors during the three days of the exhibition. In this space, the country reaffirmed its commitment to international maritime security, through the presentation of the seminar “Why Panama as a Flag”, highlighting:
- Its proven track record of reliability with Japanese shipowners and shipyards.
- The operational excellence of the technical offices in Imabari and Tokyo, and the consulates general in Kobe and Tokyo.
- A legal system compatible with Japanese financial institutions, and the acceptance of the Panamanian registry by Japan’s major banks for ship mortgages.
- An efficient registration process for new construction and resales.
- Inspections aligned with Port State Control (PSC) trends in Asia-Pacific.
- A strategic registry that improves flexibility in the charter market and enjoys international recognition.
The AMP also reaffirmed that the Panamanian registry prioritizes quality over quantity, and that it continues with a process of purging vessels, in line with its commitment to maintain high standards of safety and compliance.
Taking advantage of its participation in BARISHIP 2025, the Panamanian delegation also held official meetings with port authorities of Kobe and Osaka, with whom Panama has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of cooperation in force.
Visits were also made to Kobe’s regional Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), maritime clients, shipyards and other companies interested in investing in Panama.
Accompanying Minister Roquebert on this official mission were Max Flórez, Director General of Ports of the AMP; Walter Cohen, Panamanian Ambassador to Japan; Alejandro De León, Consul General of Panama in Kobe; Any Lam Chong, Vice Consul General of Panama in Kobe, and Eng. Nelson Agrazal, Head of the SEGUMAR Imabari office.
With its outstanding participation in BARISHIP 2025, Panama strengthens its position as the world’s largest ship registry, reaffirms its commitment to excellence and consolidates strategic alliances with key players in the Japanese and global maritime industry.
