Panama mandates full traceability for offshore ship-to-ship oil transfers

The mandatory notification must include full technical and logistical details of the operation, including the names and IMO numbers of all vessels involved, the geographical coordinates of the transfer, the type and quantity of hydrocarbons to be transferred, and the estimated duration of the operation.

The registry stated that the measure responds to the increasing use of vessels in illicit activities such as covert crude transportation, sanctions evasion, and operations lacking environmental controls. It noted that the new rule aligns with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations.