Boat towing and salvage in Panama: who tows, what to sign

Panama has no towing network like Sea Tow or TowBoatUS. Tows come from marina launches, boatyards, fishermen and other boaters. SENAN responds when lives are at risk. Panama's maritime commerce law expects a written towing contract that states the price, so agree it before the line goes across. Helping a boat in danger can be salvage, paid differently.

Who actually tows boats in Panama

There is no membership towing service. In practice, your options depend on where you are:

• Panama City and the bay. Marina launches and yard boats around Amador, plus other boaters on the radio. Ask your marina in advance which launch it uses for tows.
• Las Perlas, Taboga and the islands. Local fishermen and water taxis, and other yachts at anchor. Expect a long wait and a negotiated price.
• Caribbean coast. Marinas around Portobelo, Puerto Lindo and Colón, and the cruiser community on the radio.
• Bocas del Toro and Chiriquí. Local boat operators and the marinas.
• SENAN responds when lives are in danger. It does not run a routine towing service for a broken engine on a calm day.

Before every trip, write two or three phone numbers for local tows on your float plan. Ask your marina and the yards; see haul-out yards in Panama.

What the law says about towing

Panama's maritime commerce law, Ley 55 de 2008 (Del Comercio Marítimo), has a chapter on towing (remolque):

• Article 156 defines the contract: the tug owner or operator agrees to move a vessel or object by water.
• Article 157 says the contract must be in writing and state, among other things, the price and how and when it is paid.
• Articles 161 and 162 give the towing party a privilege (a lien) over the towed boat if it is not paid.
• Article 163 says whoever is at fault pays for damage, and if both are at fault, each pays in proportion.

For a small boat, "in writing" can be as simple as a WhatsApp message both sides confirm: the boat's name, where from and to, the price, and the payment method. Take a screenshot.

Tow or salvage: why the word matters

A tow is a service for an agreed price. Salvage is help given to a vessel in danger: aground on a reef, sinking, on fire or drifting onto rocks. The reward is not a fixed price. It depends on the value saved, the danger and the effort. Law-firm summaries of Panamanian shipping law (secondary sources) say the maritime commerce law regulates collisions and salvage in the same title. They also say salvage claims rank high among the maritime privileges that can be enforced against the boat.

What this means for you:

• Agree that it is a tow, with a price, while you are not in danger. If you wait until the boat is on the rocks, the helper may claim salvage.
• Read before you sign. A commercial salvor may present a printed salvage agreement. International salvors often use standard forms such as Lloyd's Open Form. Call your insurer before you sign.
• Saving people is different from saving the boat. Rescuing people is a duty at sea. The reward attaches to property saved.
• The boat can be arrested. Panama has specialised maritime courts under Ley 8 de 1982. A salvor or tower with an unpaid claim can ask them to arrest the boat.

Foreign-flagged boats and the flag

Most yachts cruising Panama fly a foreign flag. The flag decides registration matters such as mortgages. For a Panama-flagged boat, those rest on Ley 57 de 2008 and the AMP's ship registry. A tow or salvage inside Panamanian waters, though, can be claimed in Panama's maritime courts whatever the flag, because the boat is here. Ask a Panamanian maritime lawyer if a claim is disputed. See foreign-flagged boats in Panama and Panama flag registration.

Insurance and what it costs

We found no published tariff for private tows in Panama. The price depends on distance, sea state and who is available. Ask your marina what local tows usually cost before you need one. Check your policy for:

• towing and assistance cover, and its limit
• salvage cover, and whether you must call the insurer first
• navigation limits that may exclude some waters; see navigation limits

If the boat was damaged, file a claim with photos and the tow agreement; see insurance claims in Panama.

Rigging a tow safely

• Carry your own long, floating towline and a bridle. Attach it to strong points, not a cleat with a weak backing plate.
• Keep the line long enough that both boats ride the swell together.
• Keep people clear of a line under load. A breaking line can kill.
• Steer the towed boat, and keep a VHF channel agreed between the two boats.
• On the Pacific, plan to arrive at the marina near high water or slack. Strong currents along the Amador causeway make docking a towed boat hard.

Your practical starting checklist

1. Save two or three local tow numbers on your float plan for each area.
2. Carry a long floating towline and a bridle.
3. Call for a tow early, before the boat is in danger.
4. Agree the price, destination and payment in writing, even by message.
5. Call your insurer before you sign any salvage agreement.
6. Keep the tow agreement and photos for your claim.

Frequently asked questions

The next question to answer

Every number in one place. Read Boating emergencies in Panama: who to call.

Filing after a tow or salvage. Read Boat insurance claims in Panama.

Where a damaged boat goes. Read Haul-out yards in Panama.

Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Towing vs Salvage Agreements.

Official resources

Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.

• Ley 55 de 2008, Del Comercio Marítimo (towing, arts. 156–163; via FAOLEX) ↗
• Chambers Shipping 2024: Panama, by Patton Moreno & Asvat (secondary, law-firm summary) ↗
• Ley 57 de 2008, General de Marina Mercante (via Justia) ↗