Panama Removes 650 Ships from Registry amid Scrutiny over Iran Sanctions

Panama’s Maritime Authority said it has removed more than 650 vessels from its shipping registry since 2019, including 214 in the past year alone, as it intensifies efforts to comply with US sanctions on tankers linked to Iran. . . . The move follows criticism from US-based United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), which accused Panama of being the "flag of choice" for Iranian oil trade in violation of US sanctions. UANI says nearly 17% of vessels suspected of transporting Iranian crude sail under Panama's flag, using tactics such as flag-hopping, false ownership documentation, and disabling tracking systems. “This is not just a failure of Panama's registry. It’s a direct threat to global sanctions compliance and regional and US security,” UANI said in a statement last month.