Maritime employment contracts increased by 26.2% between January and May 2026, according to figures from the Department of Maritime Labor Affairs (DEALM) of the Directorate General of Seafarers (DGGM) of the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP).
A total of 534 new contracts were registered, compared to 423 reported in the same period of 2025. The increase reflects the strengthening of protection for maritime workers and greater formalization of labor in the sector.
The figures were presented during a meeting between the director and deputy director of the DGGM, Felipe Arias and Tania Valderrama, respectively, and members of the board of directors of the National College of Seafarers (CONAGEMAR), headed by its president, Roberto Pineda. Also participating were Andrea Meenken, representative of the German Seafarers' Mission to Panama, and Father Ian Charles Hutchinson Cervantes, representative of The Mission to Seafarers.
The meeting aimed to exchange opinions and evaluate initiatives aimed at strengthening social protection, working conditions and the well-being of seafarers.
In addition, the DGGM presented actions related to maritime labor supervision, the promotion of seafarers' rights, and the strengthening of its institutional presence in different regions of the country.
The DGGM emphasized that each contract is reviewed to verify compliance with current legislation regarding working hours, rest periods, remuneration, and other rights of seafarers. These actions are part of the maritime labor inspections carried out by the agency. So far in 2026, more than 100 inspections have been conducted in Panamanian territorial waters.
During the meeting, initiatives coordinated with the National Institute of Professional Training and Human Development (INADEH) to strengthen the English skills of sailors interested in joining the international labor market were also highlighted.
Progress was also shared regarding the creation of the Seafarers' Welfare Committee and the digitization processes promoted by the DGGM to modernize its services.
The participants agreed on the importance of maintaining permanent spaces for dialogue between the AMP, the National Migration Service, the Social Security Fund, MITRADEL and maritime unions.
The representatives of CONAGEMAR expressed their satisfaction with the results of the meeting and highlighted the need to continue promoting the incorporation of maritime workers into the social security system.
CONAGEMAR also reported on its participation in the discussions of Bill No. 146, currently being analyzed in the National Assembly, which seeks to regulate maritime work in certain categories of Panamanian-flagged vessels.
The DGGM reiterated its commitment to maintaining an open-door policy and permanent dialogue with the maritime community to promote initiatives that strengthen labor rights and the well-being of seafarers.
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