Shipping to and from Panama

Standard free time - Import
Port / terminal Names : All Ports
Valid from : 1st December 2023
Charge type : Demurrage and Detention combined
Transport mode : All transport modes
Service mode : All service modes

Import, Panama as Destination (Effective from 1st December 2023)

General Demurrage & Detention Information.

• Free time, demurrage, and detention terms apply to the country where the Empty unit is gated-in by the customer or at the location designated by the carrier.
• Demurrage & Detention combined | from discharge of Full unit at terminal/ depot to gate in Empty return of the unit at terminal/depot.
• Charges in USD per calendar day (including weekends and holidays).
• Maersk uses a Progressive method to calculate demurrage and detention charges after the free time expires. For customers with special agreements, exceeding the extended free time will incur demurrage and detention charges based on the relevant day count within our tiered tariff structure. This means that subsequent charges beyond the extended free time will not automatically be calculated using the first-tier rates. Discharge Date is considered the starting point for calculating demurrage and detention combined.

Free Time.

• Intermodal Free Time: Free time conditions are the same for both Carrier and Merchant Haulage. The Free Time period begins on the discharge date of the full unit and ends upon the gate-in of the empty unit to the terminal or depot assigned by the carrier
• Hazardous cargo receives the same free time conditions as dry units. However, responsibility for the handling and storage of hazardous cargo at terminals and depots remains with the cargo owners.
• Non-Operating Reefe (NOR): DRY equipment (40DRY includes 8'6 & 9'6) free days and per diem conditions applies to NORs. NOR with Harzadous Cargo will be treat as DRY.

Equipment Types.

• Dry Equipment refers to 20-foot Dry, 40-foot Dry, 40-foot High-Cube, 45-foot Dry, and Reefer units (20'RF, 40'RF, and 40'RH). Special equipment includes Open Tops, Flat Racks, and Out-of-Gauge cargo. SOC Equipment refers to equipment owned by the merchant/shipper. COC refers to equipment owned by the carrier.
• Shipper-owned containers (SOC) are not subject to detention but are subject to storage and demurrage charges.

Special Conditions.

• Spot conditions may differ from the conditions mentioned above. Maersk Spot (instant booking system) conditions are available in the downloadable document provided Here, which supersedes any separately agreed-upon terms. If you have any doubts, please check with the shipper or your local agents to confirm the booking/shipment modality you used. Link to downloadable document
• Demurrage and Detention charge applied to any given shipment depends to the PCD: Price Calculation Date (PCD). The following factors should be considered as guidance.
  • PCD for non-FMC shipments – The date when the carrying vessel is scheduled to depart from the Port of Loading.
  • PCD for FMC regulated trades – The date when Maersk Line takes possession of the last container listed on the transport document. This affects the Demurrage and Detention special free time. You will need to negotiate and mutually agree on the specifics before or on the Price Calculation Date.

Other Important Information.

• D&D Calculator Click here to know more about it
• Terminal storage charges may apply, nevertheless, those are charged directly by Terminal Operator.
• Terminal plug-in and electricity charges may apply; however, these charges are billed directly by the Terminal Operator.
• The Shipper assumes, prior to the shipowner, the contractual and legal duty to export/ship their cargo to a Consignee who has a genuine interest and the necessary conditions to acquire/receive the imported cargo. The Shipper is responsible for promoting the effective removal of the cargo at the destination and fulfilling all obligations associated with this act. If the cargo is abandoned at its destination or if the Consignee fails to remove it for any reason, the Shipper shall be jointly and severally liable, together with the Consignee, for all amounts, costs, expenses, damages, or losses incurred by the carrier as a result of this situation.

Mandatory for Customs

6 digits HS CODE is mandatory for all import and transhipment cargo.

Electronic Release

• For document release status please click here.

For all imports the release of the cargo must be done through the electronic release platform as it follows:

• Login with your username and password to the platform www.liberacionesmaersk.com If you do not have a user, please send the request to the following email pa.import@maersk.com.
• Check / ACH / Deposit slip must be attached on the electronic platform.
• Must have the Bill of Lading Original or Sea Waybill COPY to present at the terminal after container is released in the platform.
• Detention & Demurrage Payment, Prepaid Charges (freight): Bank account number: 0550381087- Citi Bank - Maersk Panama, S.A.
• Payments for replacement of Delivery Order, Lost stamps, Return of empty unused equipment: Bank account number: 0550381052- Citi Bank- Maersk Panama, S.A.

Documentation and Customs requirements

• All inquiries related to the customs manifesto, updating indicators and changes in the SIGA should be addressed to pa.import@maersk.com. Also, you can contact our SIGA team at the following number for further details: +507 838-8747 option 4
• To see import document formats click here.

Customs and quarantine requirements

• Customer must present one original bill of lading.
• Commercial invoice
• Customer must present a customs clearance document (liquidacion de aduana),for Colon Free Zone delivery free zone document duly completed.
• Import zoosanitary or phitosanitary and origin certificates for unprocessed animal and vegetal product.

Freight collect approval

For dry containers, charges are accepted without previous notification. For reefer, hazardous, OOG, B/B, personal effects containers are subject to pre-approval, which must be obtained before loading.

Special cargoes 

OOG, B/B and IMO cargo are subject to standard Maersk Line approval procedures. 

Types of BLs

Negotiable Bill of Lading (Original Bill of Lading):

1. This BL can be printed and send by shipper via courier from origin
2. Shipper can request Telex Release order
3. Original BL printing can be assigned by shipper from origin for consignee to be able to print at Panama

Please note this BL can be endorsed
Non Negotiable Sea Waybill
Consignee requires a copy or certified true copy of this BL to seal the release. If you require a freighted or not freighted copy of this BL, you may kindly send an email to pa.import@maersk.com to request the copy.

Necessary Documentation for Release

1. Official letter of authorization stating responsible person to withdraw release at the counters on behalf of the company
2. Check or deposit slip paying the import charges
3. BL originals or Sea Waybill copy
4. All documents must be submitted by the customer at the liberacionesmaersk.com website with their own user and password, please contact pa.import@maersk.com in case you need any assistance with this tool.

Necessary Documentation to retrieve transport orders

1. Booking confirmation
2. Official letter containing the responsible person to retrieve the documentation on behalf of company (Name, ID, Trucking Company Name, Plate)
3. ID or passport copy of the person signing the official letter

Email Adresses for Customer Service Panama

For your convenience and in the means to improve our response time, we kindly remind you the email adresses we have for each areas in a shipment.

In For inland service coordination (Store Door)

Please contact: pa.import@maersk.com

• Road Weight Limitation in Panama: 31,900 Kg (GROSS WEIGHT) for 20', 40' and 45'units. For units that exceed this weight, a fine will be received from Local Transit Authority according to local laws. 
• Not acceptable in PABLB, PAMAN IMO CLASS 1.1/1.2/5.1 (UNNO 1490)/7
• Weight Restrictions. Before leaving the port facilities, containers are weighed in order to establish conformance with the overall weight restriction norm 37,000 Kgs. Weight restriction is determined for overall weight put on road surface, meaning: weight truck + weight truck driver + tare chassis + tare chassis/flatbed + weight genset + weight container + weight cargo, which must not exceed 37,000 kgs (81,400 lbs).

Authorities grant a 5% tolerance. However, the distribution of the cargo inside the container is also a determining factor, as, in addition per-axle limitations exist and are enforced.