Panama has begun the accelerated cancellation process of six Panamanian vessels included in the “consolidated list of financial sanctions targets in the United Kingdom,” according to a report by the Panama Maritime Authority said in a statement on Friday.
The move is coming after new President Jose Raul Mulino issued a decree in October directing vessels targeted by international sanctions to be removed from the country’s ship registry – the largest in the world.
The six ships marked on Friday were added to the UK’s sanctions targets list on Monday.
“The state has the responsibility to ensure the well-being of the Panamanian Registry, (to keep it) free from international sanctions and ships linked or included in sanctions lists that can affect the prestige of the flag,” Panama’s Merchant Marine director general Ramon Franco had said, adding, “This is a priority issue for this administration.”
