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Gerli & Co. is recognised as one of Panama's premier admiralty and maritime litigation firms, representing shipowners, charterers, P&I clubs, insurers, bunker suppliers, mortgagees and crew before the Maritime Courts of Panama. Because of the Panama Canal and the constant flow of cargo through the Ports of Balboa (Pacific) and Cristóbal (Atlantic), Panama is one of the most strategically important arrest and enforcement jurisdictions on earth — and we practise at its centre.
Panama's Maritime Courts operate independently of the ordinary civil court system, which makes the process fast, specialised and flexible. The First Maritime Court was established by Law No. 8 of 1982 to replace the former United States District Court for the Canal Zone following the Panama Canal Treaties, holding exclusive admiralty jurisdiction over maritime disputes. As litigation volume grew, a Second Maritime Court was created in 2001. Together they hear cases arising from maritime commerce in line with international maritime principles, and crucially, urgent matters are handled 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
These courts exercise jurisdiction over in rem proceedings (against the vessel or cargo itself, where it is within Panamanian waters or ports) and in personam proceedings (against the shipowner, where jurisdiction is established by attaching property in Panama — a vessel, cargo, bunkers or financial assets).
Vessel arrests in Panama are governed by the Maritime Procedure Code (Law No. 8 of 1982, as amended), which provides a fast and effective mechanism to secure maritime claims. The geography is unforgiving and works in a claimant's favour: a vessel takes roughly eight hours to transit the Canal, and once transit has begun there is no turning back. Because vessels are mobile and owners may move assets beyond reach, the ability to arrest a ship in transit or at anchor in Panama is one of the most powerful remedies in international shipping.
An arrest may be sought to secure a payment guarantee, to establish jurisdiction over a shipowner whose vessel touches Panamanian waters, or to enforce a privileged maritime lien directly against the vessel. Gerli & Co. acts with absolute speed and tactical precision — and, just as importantly, defends owners whose vessels have been arrested, filing counter-security, contesting jurisdiction and working to lift the arrest and minimise costly off-hire time.
A delay of even a few hours can cost a shipowner an extraordinary sum. Maritime crises do not observe business hours — and neither do we. Gerli & Co. maintains a dedicated, round-the-clock maritime emergency desk. Whether you need an urgent order to arrest a vessel before it clears the Canal, or instant defence against a detention or judicial sale, our team combines deep procedural mastery with the local court relationships required to deliver results under intense pressure. One client described it precisely: after their ship was detained abroad, Ismael Gerli took matters in hand and worked with PSC, flag and class officials — without rest — until the vessel was released.