An AMP licence only accepts course certificates from a centro de formación marítima the AMP recognises. The AMP publishes the list online; on 7 November 2026 it showed 23 recognised centres in Panama, among them the Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá (UMIP). Pick the course your grade's requirement sheet names, then confirm the centre is approved for that course.
Which course each licence needs
The AMP requirement sheets name the training for each grade:
- Marinero: the AMP's Curso de Seguridad Marítima para Aguas Nacionales (taught by AMP staff on licensing tours, or by a recognised centre), or the four STCW basic courses.
- Operador de lanchas de 2da. clase: the national-waters safety course on tour, or a curso de operador de lanchas.
- Operador de lanchas de 1ra. clase: safety training plus the curso de operador de lanchas.
- Patrón de nave de placer: the course for the class (3ra., 2da. or 1ra.), plus safety training; 2da. and 1ra. require the four STCW basics.
- Patrón de cabotaje: the four STCW basics and, on the shorter route, the cabotaje course.
- Capitán de yate: the four STCW basics plus a qualifying certificate, course or experience; the unlimited title adds advanced STCW courses.
The four STCW basics are OMI 1.19, 1.20, 1.21 and 1.13; see STCW basic training in Panama.
The AMP's list of recognised training centres
The AMP's Report of Recognized Training Centers is on amp.gob.pa under centros de formación. For each centre it shows the authorising resolution, the date, the expiry date, the country, the type of authorisation and a link to its approved courses. On 7 November 2026 it listed 41 centres, 23 of them in Panama. The Panamanian entries included:
- Universidad Marítima Internacional de Panamá (UMIP)
- Universidad Metropolitana de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología (UMECIT)
- Columbus University
- Panama Maritime Training Services (PMTS)
- Marine Training and Certification Centre (MTCC)
- Isthmus Training Institute (ITI)
- Maritime Professional Institute of Panama-Chiriquí, on a first provisional authorisation
Several of the rest are private centres in Panama City that mainly train crews for Panama-flagged ships. The list changes as authorisations expire and new ones are granted, so check it on the day you enrol.
How to check a school before you pay
- Find the centre on the AMP list under its legal name, not a brand name.
- Check the expiry date and status. “Permanent” and “First provisional” both appear; a provisional authorisation is short.
- Open “View courses” and confirm the exact course you need is approved, for example the operador de lanchas or a patrón de nave de placer class.
- Ask how the certificate is issued. The AMP endorses course certificates, and its F-84 fee chart lists an endorsement fee per basic course.
- Ask about format. Some centres advertise e-learning. Practical courses such as firefighting and survival involve drills, so ask whether the version offered is accepted for your grade.
- Get the price and schedule in writing. Neither the AMP nor most centres publish course fees.
What a small-boat course looks like
As one example, UMECIT publishes an Operador de Lancha course of 25 hours, in person, in 12 modules: small-craft basics, nautical terms, rigging and deck work, manoeuvring, basic navigation, boat handling, firefighting, first aid, security awareness, marine environment and national and international law. Enrolment asks for a valid ID and a medical certificate from a clinic the AMP authorises. Other centres run similar courses; compare the hours, how much time you spend on the water and how many students share each boat. A course gets you the certificate. You still apply for the licence yourself at Gente de Mar, with the medical and documents in sea time, medical and paperwork.
After the course: endorsement and extensions
For STCW-type courses, the AMP issues a certificado de endoso de curso under Resolución J.D. 026-2022, and many employers on yachts and ships will ask for it. The AMP's F-84 fee chart lists B/.10 per basic course endorsement and B/.30 for specialised courses, the same for Panamanians and foreigners, plus extension fees for active seafarers whose courses are nearing expiry. Ask your centre whether it files the endorsement for you or whether you take the certificate to the Departamento de Titulación yourself. Keep the originals; the licence application asks for them.
The university route to a merchant career
If you want STCW officer and master titles for ships, the long route runs through a maritime university with sea practice. UMIP admits aspirantes to its nautical programmes, and the AMP runs a sea-practice system for cadets that records time aboard in the libreta de embarque. This is a career in shipping, not a quick yacht ticket. For yacht and charter work, the national-waters grades and yacht titles are the practical path; the full ladder is in how to become a boat captain in Panama.
Your practical starting checklist
- Find your target grade's requirement sheet on the AMP Gente de Mar page.
- Note the exact courses it names.
- Open the AMP's recognised training centre report and shortlist centres in your area.
- Check each centre's expiry date and its approved course list.
- Ask for price, dates, format and how the certificate is endorsed, in writing.
- Book the medical so it is still valid (three months) when you apply for the licence.
Frequently asked questions
Is UMIP the only school for captain courses in Panama?
No. The AMP list on 7 November 2026 showed 23 recognised centres in Panama, including UMIP, universities and private centres.
Can I take the course abroad?
The AMP list includes centres abroad, and the capitán de yate hasta 200 TAB sheet accepts a yacht captain course from a centre authorised by an IMO White List administration not restricted by the AMP. Confirm your course with Gente de Mar before relying on it.
How much does a captain course cost in Panama?
Neither the AMP nor most centres publish fees. Ask each centre for a written quote.
Is INADEH an AMP training centre?
INADEH received AMP accreditation in 2017, as reported in the press, but it did not appear on the AMP's list on 7 November 2026. Check the current list.
¿Dónde hago el curso de capitán de yate en Panamá?
En un centro de formación marítima reconocido por la AMP que tenga aprobado ese curso. Revise la lista oficial de centros y sus cursos en amp.gob.pa antes de pagar.
En español: curso de capitán de yate en Panamá
Los cursos para la licencia deben venir de un centro de formación marítima reconocido por la Dirección General de Gente de Mar de la AMP. La AMP publica la lista de centros reconocidos con su resolución, su fecha de vencimiento y los cursos aprobados. Para patrón de nave de placer se pide el curso de la clase correspondiente y los cursos básicos OMI 1.19, 1.20, 1.21 y 1.13. Para capitán de yate hasta 200 TAB, la AMP acepta, entre otras opciones, un curso de capitán de yate de un centro autorizado por una administración marítima de la Lista Blanca de la OMI. Verifique el centro y el curso antes de inscribirse.
The next question to answer
The licence ladder from start to finish. Read Become a boat captain in Panama.
The four basic safety courses. Read STCW basic training in Panama.
Which grade you are training for. Read Licence types and limits.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Captain Training and Examination Pathways.
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: Report of Recognized Training Centers ↗
- AMP: formación de gente de mar (centre rules, Res. ADM 105-2021) ↗
- AMP: Dirección General de Gente de Mar (licence lists and requirement sheets) ↗
- AMP: F-84 tarifas del Departamento de Titulación ↗
- UMECIT: Operador de Lancha course sheet ↗
- La Estrella (press, 2017): AMP reconoce a los marinos capacitados por el Inadeh ↗