A Panamanian slip agreement is a private contract between you and the marina. Before you pay a deposit, check eight things: the boat details, the term, the rate and ITBMS, the deposit and refunds, insurance, liability, what you may do aboard, and how either side can end it. Get it in writing, in a language you read, and ask which version wins.
What a slip agreement is in Panama
The contract may be called a contrato de atraque, a berth agreement or a dockage agreement. Most are the marina's standard terms plus a page with your boat and dates. They fall under Panamanian private law. The marina is a tourism business registered with the Autoridad de Turismo de Panamá (ATP) under Decreto Ejecutivo 82 of 2008. Its basin usually sits on a seabed concession from the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá (AMP).
That concession matters more than it sounds. The Club de Yates y Pesca renewed its AMP concession in 2023 for 20 years, yet the public works ministry is studying a bayfront park that could affect the site. If you are committing for years, ask how long the marina's concession runs.
Buying a slip, as Ocean Reef Marina offers, is a property transaction with its own documents. This page covers renting a slip, mooring or yard space. Have a Panamanian lawyer review any long or high-value commitment.
The clauses to check, one by one
- Vessel details. Name, flag, registration number, LOA, beam and draft. Marinas bill on LOA including pulpits, so a wrong length becomes a back-charge.
- Term and renewal. Daily, monthly or annual. Does it renew automatically, and at what rate?
- Rate and tax. Per foot per day or per month, plus 7% ITBMS. Can the marina change rates mid-term? Marina Carenero, for example, publishes new rates from July 2026.
- Deposit and prepayment. Carenero takes a deposit equal to the first month's rent and offers discounts for prepaying 3 or 6 months. Ask what is refundable if you leave early.
- Utilities. Is power metered, at what rate, and who reads the meter? Is water included?
- Insurance. Most marinas require liability cover and ask for a certificate. Check the minimum, whether the marina must be named, and whether your policy covers Panamanian waters. See boat insurance in Panama.
- Liability and damage. Who pays if surge, a neighbouring boat or a marina employee damages your boat? Many contracts exclude the marina's liability almost entirely.
- Use of the boat. Liveaboard status, guests, outside contractors and commercial charters. Shelter Bay allows outside contractors subject to approval. Others require their own yard.
- Moving the boat. Can the marina move or re-berth your boat, and charge you for it?
- Termination. The notice period on each side, and what happens to prepaid fees.
- Unpaid fees. Ask whether the contract lets the marina hold the boat, or refuse to release it, until fees are paid.
Points that are specific to Panama
- Language. Contracts are often in Spanish, sometimes with an English copy. Ask which version prevails if they differ.
- Documents. Expect to give a copy of the patente or licencia de navegación (or the foreign registration), the insurance certificate and the owner's ID. For a foreign yacht, the marina will usually also want the cruising permit and zarpe.
- Tide and surge. Pacific marinas live with a 4–6 m tide. Outer docks at Flamenco and La Playita report surge. Ask which berth you are getting and whether the contract lets you refuse an exposed one.
- Charter use. Taking paying guests needs the marina's written permission, often for a fee. The operator needs ATP registration and AMP paperwork in order. See charter licences and permits.
- Absentee owners. If you will be away, agree in writing who checks lines, bilge and batteries, and what they may spend in an emergency.
- No hurricane clause. Panama has no hurricane landfalls, so Florida-style evacuation clauses are rare. Squalls and lightning are the weather risks, May to November.
Red flags before you pay
- No written rate, or a quote that doesn't mention ITBMS and power.
- A non-refundable annual prepayment with no clause for the marina's own breach.
- A liability waiver that also covers the marina's staff when they handle your boat.
- Charter or guest use "by arrangement" with nothing written down.
- No invoice or receipt in the name of a registered business.
Selling the boat is another common trap. Ask whether the slip stays with the boat, stays with you, or goes back to the marina. Ask too whether a buyer must sign a new agreement at the current rate. If you are leaving the country, agree in writing how the marina will hand over the boat, its keys and its papers to a buyer or delivery captain.
For a Florida comparison, see the Florida marina slip agreement guide. Most clauses travel. The hurricane section doesn't.
Your practical starting checklist
- Ask the marina for its standard agreement and rate card before you commit to dates.
- Check the vessel details, term, rate basis, ITBMS and utilities against your quote.
- Send your insurer the marina's insurance clause and get a certificate that meets it.
- Ask for written answers on liability, re-berthing, contractors, liveaboard and charter use.
- Confirm the notice period, the refund terms and which language version prevails.
- Have a Panamanian lawyer review any annual or high-value agreement, then sign and keep a copy aboard.
Frequently asked questions
Do Panama marinas require insurance?
Most do, at least liability cover, and they ask for a certificate. The minimum varies by marina, so ask before you buy or renew a policy.
Can I get my deposit back if I leave early?
Only if the contract says so. Prepaid annual rates are often non-refundable. Get the refund terms in writing before you pay.
Is a Spanish-only marina contract valid?
Yes. Spanish is Panama's official language. If you don't read it well, get a translation and ask which version prevails before you sign.
Does my slip transfer when I sell the boat?
Usually not automatically. Most marinas treat a new owner as a new customer under a new agreement. Check the transfer clause before you list the boat.
Can I run charters from my slip?
Only with the marina's written permission. The operator also needs ATP registration and the vessel's AMP paperwork in order.
The next question to answer
The sub-hub for every marina, anchoring and docking guide. Read Marinas, docking and anchoring in Panama.
Pick the coast and the base before the contract. Read Choosing a marina in Panama.
Published rates to check a quote against. Read Marina costs in Panama.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare Understanding a Marina Slip Agreement.
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.
- ATP: Registro de marinas y servicios de transportes turísticos marítimos ↗
- AMP: Contratos de concesión vigentes, May 2026 ↗
- Marina Carenero: rates and reservation terms ↗
- Shelter Bay Marina: boat yard ↗