Consulate-General of Panama

Consulate-General of Panama 🇵🇦
Location: Room 1008, Wing On Centre, 111 Connaught Road, Central

Unlike many of our previous visits, we noticed that the front desks had “maritime services” branded on the glass, a clear sign of things to come. We were ushered to the back of the consulate, which was surprisingly large, with many more staff than we initially expected. Sitting down, we were introduced to Mr. Campuzano, the Panamanian Consul General, who offered us two cool glasses of water which we gladly accepted.

After exchanging a few words, we quickly realized this consulate was distinct from others, as they largely worked in maritime services. This is because surprisingly, Panama leads the world in registering vessels with more than 8,500 ships bearing the flag of Panama. Panama’s registry offers several advantages for ship owners. Panama also plays a large role in maritime trade with the Panama Canal, where 6% of global trade moves through. As such, the consulate operates akin to a business, bringing in clients, connecting them with maritime authorities, and handling the proper documentation for repairs and other updates.

At this point, we were introduced to Mr. Hernandez, Chief of the Panamanian Maritime Authority in Hong Kong, who also elaborated on how global shipping works and his time working in the industry. Regarding cultural exchanges, Mr. Campuzano told us they are working to further introduce Latin American culture to Hong Kong. While officially there are around 1000 people with Panamanian citizenship in Hong Kong, he told us many of them are in fact local Hongkongers who only hold the passport. In addition, he also told us about efforts to increase tourism in Panama, with beautiful beaches and nightlife comparable to LKF.

We really enjoyed this interview, as the personability of both officials made us feel as if we were talking with friends. As a cherry on top, we were even given a Panamanian goodie bag as we left. We’d like to thank Mr. Campuzano, Mr. Hernandez, and their staff for their hospitality, and we’d encourage you all to visit Panama’s fascinating sights.