The procedure to register ships with the Panamanian flag is straightforward and expeditious. Request for provisional registration can opt through the GIRIK. All the required information have must be presented and the payment of the corresponding fee.

Once all the documents have been received, the rights have paid, a provisional patent is issued, the duration of which is six months and a provisional radio license is three months. The whole procedure takes about 6 hours.

The Regulatory Patent and Radio Regulatory License are issued only in Panama. Its term is four years and granted after all documents have presented and delivered by a law firm, designated as the resident agent. The title of the vessel has duly registered in the Public Registry is also required. The radio license is issued when the interested party submits the duly completed request of the communication equipment that the ship is going to have onboard, in compliance with the GMDSS.

1. Panama Flag Registration for vessel

• Provisional and Permanent Registration of all type of ships and yachts
• Company Incorporation
• Ownership Title Registration
• Mortgage Registration / discharge
• Change of ownership/name of a ship
• Bareboat Charter (in/out)
• Deletions from the registry
• Special Lay- up registry

Vessel Registration

The registration consists of two stages: Provisional and Permanent.

I.1. The client must provide Girik with the following docs to obtain the Provisional Ship Registration Certificate and Radio License:

1. Form A (contact us to get this form)
2. Memorandum of Agreement
3. Valid copies of the Document of Compliance (DOC) and Safety Management Certificate (SMC).

• Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR).
• International Ship Security Certificate(ISSC)

4. Power of Attorney

The Provisional Ship Registration Certificate and Radio License will be issued within 24 working hours if the above documents completed as well as the first annual tax paid. These temporary certificates are valid for 6 months.

I.2. Permanent Certification issued if the following documents are submitted:

1. Original Bill of Sale and Acceptance of Sale in favour of current owners, duly notarized and authenticated by the Panamanian Consulate.
2. Original Power of Attorney in our favour, duly notarized and authenticated by the Panamanian Consulate
3. Copies of DOC, SMC, ISSC, CSR under the new owner name
4. Report of LRIT, Immarsat C active report.

Those permanents will be valid for 5 yrs.

2. Panama Flag Vessel certification

Girik can process following certificates for Panamanian Ship:

1. Minimum Safe Manning Certificate. (MSMC)
2. Continuous Synopsis Record (CSR)
3. Bunker Convention Certificate. (BCC)
4. Wreck Removal Convention (WRC)
5. Document of Compliance of the ISM code (DOC)
6. Certificate of Inspection of Crew Accommodations (CICA)
7. International Ship Security Certificate (ISSC)
8. Maritime Labor Convention Certificate (MLC)
9. Safety Management Certificate (SMC)
10. International Tonnage Certificate (ITC)
11. Cargo Ship Safety Construction Certificate (CSSC)
12. Cargo Ship Safety Radio Certificate
13. International Load Line Certificate (LLC)
14. International Tonnage Certificate (ITC – 69)
15. International Oil Pollution Prevention Certificate (IOPP)
16. Approval of Shipboard Oil Pollution Emergency Plans.
17. Cargo Ship Safety Certificate (Vessels under 500 GRT)
18. Cargo Ship Safety Radiotelephony Certificate
19. Fishing Vessel Safety Certificate
20. Pleasure Ship Safety Certificate
21. ISM Code
22. Caribbean Code Safety Certificate
23. International Ship & Port Facility Security Code (ISPS)
24. Ship Security Plan(SSP)& Ship Security Assessment Approval (SSA)
25. International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate (IAPP)
26. International Energy Efficiency Certificate/ MARPOL
27. Sewage Pollution Prevention Certificate / MARPOL
28. Document of Authorization for the Carriage of Grain in Bulk
29. Document of Compliance for the Carriage of Solid Bulk Cargo
30. International Pollution Prevention Certificate for the Carriage of Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk (NLS Cert)
31. Condition Assessment Scheme (CAS)
32. Shipboard Marine Pollution Emergency Plan (SMPEP)
33. Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk (BCH Code)
34. International Certificate of Fitness for the carrying on Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk.
35. Document of Compliance for the Carrying of Dangerous Goods
36. International Antifouling System Certificate
37. Class Certificate for Existing Vessels of 500 GT and above
38. Movil Drilling Unit Safety Certificate (MODU)
39. Technical Investigation
40. Cargo Hold Survey
41. Bunker Survey
42. OBO/RBO – ON/OFF Hire
43. Inclining Test
44. Stability Booklet
45. Container Survey
46. Draft Survey
47. (P&I) Condition Survey
48. Evaluation and preparation of ISPS Plan
49. Inspections for purchase of Ships
50. Ship Appraisal
51. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
52. Management Plan Approval
53. Damage Structures/Hull
54. Ultrasonic Thickness Test
55. PCSOPEP
56. STCW-95 Courses
57. Tonnage Calculation (ITC 69)
58. Load Line Calculation (66/68)
59. Freeboard Calculation
60. Hydrostatics Calculation
61. Shafts, Propeller and Propulsion Calculation
62. Rudder Design Calculation
63. Longitudinal Strength Calculation
64. Enhanced Survey
65. Ship to Ship Transfer (STS) Operation Plan Approval
66. Special Purpose Ship Safety Certificate