Controversy over foreigners sailing in national waters

Captain Rainier Chambers, President of the Association of Panama Canal Pilots (APCP) shared their concerns at a press conference on Thursday, July 19, over “the resolution issued by the Board of Directors of the Panama Maritime Authority which changes the regulation of pilotage”.

Panamanian pilots concerned about foreign competition in territorial waters.

It allows foreign applicants to pursue the profession locally, something which by tradition is only done by nationals. There is no one better to guard the waters of his own country than its own nationals,” said the Panamanian pilots.

Resolution J.D. No. 056-2010, of July 1, 2010, published in the Official Gazette No. 27052-A on Friday June 8, 2012, amends Article 44 of Resolution JD 020-2003, contradicting one of the main tenets of the strategy that establishes the need to “promote optimal training and employment of Panamanian seafarers, who constitute qualified human resources that will meet growing demand by the National Maritime sector that has arisen as a result of implementation of the National Maritime Strategy”.

This resolution gives foreign candidates exceptions on how these rules of pilotage apply to them; almost completely to foreign joint venture companies. “This lack of definition in the import and export industry, where almost all companies have investment and foreign interests, no matter what their percentage, jeopardizes the protection of local jobs, not to mention also that of the waters of the Republic of Panama, which is of great concern to the representatives present,” say the pilots.

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