In Panama, VHF channel 16 is the distress and calling channel, and SENAN, ships and other boats monitor it. Channel 12 is Flamenco Signal at Balboa and Cristóbal Signal at Colón. Marinas have their own channels. For a Panama-flag boat, the AMP assigns the MMSI with the radio licence, and EPIRBs are registered free in the COSPAS-SARSAT international database.
Who listens, on which channel
| Station | Channel | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| SENAN, ships and other boats | VHF 16 | Distress (MAYDAY), urgency (PAN-PAN), first call. Also phone 911. |
| Flamenco Signal Station (ACP, Pacific) | VHF 12 | Before crossing the channel or moving in the Balboa anchorage; English |
| Cristóbal Signal Station (ACP, Caribbean) | VHF 12 | Arriving at the Colón breakwater, anchorage instructions |
| Ships' bridges | VHF 16 and 13 | Bridge-to-bridge safety calls |
| Flamenco Marina | VHF 10 | Berthing, fuel |
| La Playita de Amador | VHF 9 | Berthing, dinghy dock |
| Colón cruisers' net | VHF 77, 07:30 | Local information (reported by noonsite) |
We could not confirm a Panamanian public coast radio station that keeps a listening watch for small craft. Assume that your MAYDAY on 16 will be heard by SENAN when you are near its stations, and by ships and boats within range. Away from the city, ships may be your best listeners.
The radio rules in Canal waters
ACP notice N-11-2026 requires every small craft in Canal waters to carry a VHF and monitor channels 12 and 16, and to follow the instructions of the Port Entry Coordinators at Flamenco and Cristóbal Signal Stations. The ACP adds, pointedly, that some operators fail to do this. The harbour operations notice N-2-2026 requires a vessel crossing the channel to establish communications on 12 and keep a watch on it throughout the crossing. Communications are in English. How to make the call is in small boats around the canal approaches.
DSC and your MMSI
A DSC radio sends a digital distress alert with your position at the press of one button. It only works if it is programmed with an MMSI and connected to a GPS.
- Panama-flag boats: the AMP issues the MMSI. Its circular on beacons says the MMSI appears at the top of the Panamanian radio licence. Requests go to the Ship Registry's Maritime Telecommunication Section: [email protected], (507) 501-5025. The radio licence itself is covered in boat radio licences.
- US-flag boats: an MMSI issued by BoatUS or Sea Tow is valid only for US domestic use. A boat cruising in Panama needs an FCC ship station licence with its own MMSI.
Test DSC with a test call to a friend's MMSI, not a live alert.
Making a distress call that works here
On 16, say MAYDAY three times, then the boat's name three times, then your position. Give a latitude and longitude from the plotter, or a bearing and distance from a known point such as Isla Taboga or the Flamenco breakwater. Say what is wrong, how many people are aboard, and what help you need. Then release the key and listen.
Speak slowly and keep it short. English works with ships and the signal stations. With SENAN, Spanish is safer: emergencia, nos estamos hundiendo, fuego a bordo, hombre al agua, necesitamos ayuda. If nobody answers in a minute, repeat the call, then try 911 by phone. A PAN-PAN call is for urgency without immediate danger, such as engine failure drifting toward the channel.
EPIRBs and PLBs: registration
A 406 MHz beacon is coded to a country, and the rescue centre that receives its alert looks up the registration for that country.
- Panama-flag: AMP circular MMC-158 (January 2023) tells owners to register 406 MHz EPIRBs online in the COSPAS-SARSAT International Registration Database, 406registration.com. Registration is free. An earlier circular, MMC-112, requires the beacon to be programmed with the vessel's MMSI and a confirmation, with a copy of the radio licence, sent to the AMP's telecoms section. Both circulars are written for SOLAS ships. For a yacht or small boat, register anyway and send the AMP the same confirmation.
- US-flag: register with NOAA and renew every two years.
- Reflagged or bought a used boat? Have the beacon recoded for the new flag and MMSI. Then re-register it, and update the contacts whenever they change.
A PLB on your lifejacket covers you if you go overboard; see person overboard.
Phones, AIS and offshore
A mobile phone works near Panama City, Taboga and the main towns. It is a backup, not a radio: other boats cannot hear it, and coverage thins quickly in Las Perlas, the Darién and much of San Blas. An AIS transponder lets ships in the canal approaches see you on their screens, which matters at night and in rain. For passages offshore, add a satellite messenger or phone and a weather source.
Write the channels and numbers into your float plan. The US version of this guide is VHF, DSC and EPIRB.
Your practical starting checklist
- Fit a fixed DSC VHF, connect it to the GPS and program your MMSI.
- Carry a charged handheld VHF in the grab bag.
- Monitor 16, and 12 in Canal waters, from the moment you leave the dock.
- Register your EPIRB or PLB in the right national database and keep the contacts current.
- Make a radio check with your marina before each trip.
- Write SENAN (911, VHF 16) and the signal station channels on the float plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the coast guard channel in Panama?
VHF 16, as everywhere. SENAN, Panama's coast guard and maritime police, monitors it near its stations; in an emergency also call 911. In Canal waters you must also monitor channel 12.
Which channel is Flamenco Signal Station?
Channel 12 for the Pacific entrance. Cristóbal Signal on the Caribbean side also works on 12. Both expect English.
Do I have to register my EPIRB with the AMP?
AMP circulars require SOLAS ships to register beacons in the COSPAS-SARSAT international database, free, and to confirm the MMSI programming to the AMP. They do not mention yachts, but registering is the only way a rescue centre can identify you. Ask the AMP telecoms section to confirm.
Will anyone hear a DSC alert in Panama?
Ships keep DSC watch, and in the canal approaches there are always ships in range. We could not confirm a Panamanian coast station that keeps a DSC watch for small craft, so follow any DSC alert with a voice MAYDAY on 16.
The next question to answer
The enforcement collection. Read SENAN, the AMP and the rules.
Call signs and the AMP radio licence. Read Boat radio licences in Panama.
SENAN, SINAPROC, AMP and 911. Read Boating emergencies: who to call.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare VHF, DSC, EPIRBs and Emergency Communications.
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.
- AMP: Merchant Marine Circular MMC-158, EPIRB registration (Jan 2023) ↗
- AMP: Merchant Marine Circular MMC-112, EPIRB programming and MMSI (Dec 2020; flagadmin.com copy) ↗
- ACP: OP Notice to Shipping N-2-2026, Harbor Operations (signal stations, channel 12) ↗
- ACP: OP Notice to Shipping N-11-2026, small craft in Canal waters ↗
- Noonsite: Cristóbal (Colón) docking, cruisers' net channel 77 (secondary) ↗