Charter agreement outline, English/Spanish (Panama)

A bilingual outline of the clauses a crewed day or term charter booking in Panama should cover. It is not a contract: take it to a Panamanian lawyer, who will draft the wording. Have your AMP and ATP numbers, your certified capacity and your cancellation policy ready.

Fill in the fields below, then print the worksheet or download your entries as a text file. Entries stay on this page until you leave unless you download them. Don’t enter passport, card or medical details; keep copies of those separately.

Your working copy

Parties: operator's company name, RUC, ATP registration and AMP operating licence number; client's name and contact / Partes: razón social del operador, RUC, registro en la ATP y número de licencia de operación de la AMP; nombre y contacto del clienteVessel: name, AMP registration and certified passenger capacity / Embarcación: nombre, matrícula en la AMP y capacidad certificada de pasajerosService: date, departure pier, meeting time, duration, route and stops / Servicio: fecha, muelle de salida, hora de encuentro, duración, ruta y paradasCaptain and crew supplied by the operator and licensed by the AMP; the client does not operate the boat / Capitán y tripulación a cargo del operador, con licencia de la AMP; el cliente no opera la embarcaciónNumber of guests, children included, never above the certified capacity / Número de pasajeros, niños incluidos, nunca superior a la capacidad certificadaPrice in US dollars, what it includes, and whether 7% ITBMS is included / Precio en dólares, qué incluye y si incluye el 7% de ITBMSDeposit, balance due date and payment methods (card, ACH, Yappy) / Depósito, fecha de pago del saldo y medios de pago (tarjeta, ACH, Yappy)Guest cancellation: deadlines and the refund at each / Cancelación por el cliente: plazos y reembolso en cada casoWeather and safety: the captain decides; operator cancellations and AMP departure restrictions are rescheduled or refunded / Clima y seguridad: decide el capitán; las cancelaciones del operador y las restricciones de zarpe de la AMP se reprograman o reembolsanShortened trips and late arrival: what applies / Viaje acortado y llegada tarde: qué aplicaGuest conduct: alcohol, swimming and snorkelling rules, following crew instructions / Conducta: alcohol, reglas de nado y snorkel, seguir las instrucciones de la tripulaciónPassenger list: full names and ID or passport numbers before departure, for the manifest / Lista de pasajeros: nombres completos y número de cédula o pasaporte antes de zarpar, para el manifiestoPersonal data: purpose, consent and how long it is kept, under Ley 81 of 2019 / Datos personales: finalidad, consentimiento y plazo de conservación, según la Ley 81 de 2019Insurance the operator carries (civil liability) and any optional cover / Seguro que mantiene el operador (responsabilidad civil) y coberturas opcionalesDamage to the boat caused by guests: how it is assessed and charged / Daños a la embarcación causados por los pasajeros: cómo se evalúan y cobranComplaints: who to contact, then ACODECO; Panamanian law; the Spanish text prevails / Reclamos: a quién contactar y luego ACODECO; ley panameña; prevalece el texto en españolElectronic invoice for the full amount / Factura electrónica por el monto totalSignatures, date and place / Firmas, fecha y lugar

What this outline is

A list of the clauses to discuss with a Panamanian lawyer before you take bookings. It covers a crewed charter, where your captain runs the boat. A bareboat charter is a different regime under AMP Resolution J.D. 089-2020; see bareboat charter in Panama.

Why the Spanish text matters

Ley 45 de 2007, Panama's consumer protection law, says in Article 74 that the general conditions of an adhesion contract are abusive and absolutely void if they restrict the consumer's rights (numeral 1) or are written in a language other than Spanish (numeral 9). A standard booking form you send to every guest is an adhesion contract. So an English-only form, or a clause that strips the guest's rights, may not hold. Write both languages side by side and state that the Spanish text prevails. ACODECO is the agency that applies the law.

Where each clause comes from

Parties and vessel. Your ATP registration and AMP operating licence, and the capacity on the AMP certificate. See passenger limits.
Price, deposit and invoice. Quote in dollars and say whether ITBMS is included. Issue an electronic invoice for every sale.
Cancellation and weather. Copy the wording from your weather policy. Treat an AMP departure restriction as an operator cancellation.
Passenger list. SENAN and the AMP may ask for it. Collect names and ID numbers at booking. Never ask for card or medical details in the form; ask guests to tell the captain privately about any health matter.
Data. Ley 81 of 2019 requires a stated purpose and consent. Marketing to past guests needs separate consent.

Tips

Keep it to one page. Guests sign what they can read in two minutes.
Platform bookings. The platform's cancellation rules apply to bookings made through it. Say so.
Disputes. Signed terms, the confirmation and the boarding record are your defence against a chargeback. Keep them together.
A waiver is not insurance. Ask your lawyer how far any limitation of liability can go under Panamanian law.

Read the companion guide

Before using this resource, read Charter bookings, deposits and payments in Panama.

Fernando Yemail is the owner of Feeling Yachty and is not a lawyer. Yachty Guide provides general educational information and practical recommendations, not legal, tax, insurance or individualized professional advice. Panamanian rules depend on the vessel, flag, activity and location and can change. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority (AMP, ACP, SENAN, ATP, ARAP, MiAmbiente, Migración or Aduanas) and consult a qualified professional in Panama about your situation. Full disclaimer.

Use it alongside these guides

Charter business

Charter agreement outline, English/Spanish (Panama)

Your working copy

What this outline is

Why the Spanish text matters

Where each clause comes from

Tips

Read the companion guide

Use it alongside these guides

Charter bookings, deposits and payments in Panama

Charter cancellation and weather policies in Panama

Charter liability insurance and waivers in Panama

Passenger manifests, IDs and records for Panama charters

Guest safety briefing, English/Spanish (Panama)