The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), through the Department of Maritime Labor Affairs of the General Directorate of Seafarers (DGGM) carried out, during 2021 at national level, 289 maritime labor inspections on board ships of both interior and international service of the Panamanian registry, in compliance with the provisions of Decree Law No. 8 of February 26, 1998, which regulates work at sea and in waterways.
Compliance with the maritime labor legislation
The maritime labor inspectors managed to exceed the closing figure for 2020, which had been 118 inspections carried out, reaffirming our commitment to ensure strict compliance with the maritime labor legislation applicable on board Panamanian-flagged ships for the benefit of our seafarers.
Of the 289 ships inspected during 2021, 179 ships did not present deficiencies during the inspection and 72 did present some type of labor deficiency during the inspection, in addition, 38 re-inspections were carried out.
Furthermore, 243 labor complaints filed by seafarers were processed and 19 labor conciliations were carried out, which is an alternative method of conflict resolution that involves a voluntary negotiation procedure between the shipowner, or his representative, and the worker or his representative.
Compliance with national and international regulations
Maritime labor inspections are carried out with the purpose of verifying the control and compliance with national and international regulations that protect labor and social rights that guarantee working conditions, life and decent accommodation for seafarers.
The inspections were carried out on cargo ships, dry goods, bulk carriers, barges, container ships, tugboats, tankers, supply, interior service passenger transport, artisanal fishing, semi-industrial fishing and industrial fishing.
During 2022, the AMP will continue visiting each coastal community in the country, to carry out labor inspections and, in turn, conduct a census to identify vessels that are operational and those that are not, in order to have an updated registry of this activity, with the support of port administrators
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Source: Panama Maritime Authority
