Countries › Panama › Guide › 12. Sectors › Key sectors and regulators in Panama: who licenses energy, mining, ports, shipping, telecom, fisheries and cannabis

Key sectors and regulators in Panama: who licenses energy, mining, ports, shipping, telecom, fisheries and cannabis

Last verified: 2026-10-29 · Status: Changing

Panama's regulated sectors each have a gatekeeper: ASEP for electricity and telecom, MICI for minerals, the Autoridad Marítima de Panamá for ports and the ship registry, ARAP for fisheries and aquaculture, and the Ministry of Health for medicinal cannabis. The Constitution keeps subsoil, mines and ports in State ownership and lets private firms exploit them through concessions inspired by the public interest. Two Supreme Court rulings, on Cobre Panamá in 2023 and on Balboa and Cristóbal ports in 2026, plus the 2023 metal mining moratorium, set the current risk picture.

Panama's currency, the balboa (B/.), is at par with the US dollar, which circulates as legal tender; the Superintendencia de Bancos states that the balboa's value is on a par with the US dollar (checked 29 October 2026). USD figures therefore equal the balboa figures.

Key facts

New metal mining concessions can be granted	No yes/noLey 407 de 2023, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Telecom concession term	20 yearsLey 31 de 1996 art. 23, as of 2026-10-29 · in force
Maximum initial term of a port concession	20 yearsLey 56 de 2008 art. 38, as of 2026-10-29 · in force

The rule

1. Subsoil wealth, mines, quarries and hydrocarbon deposits belong to the State and can be exploited through State or mixed companies or by private firms under concessions or contracts; the territorial sea, ports and land used for public services are public use goods; concessions to exploit soil, subsoil, forests, water, communications and public services must serve social welfare and the public interest.Constitución Política (texto único, Gaceta Oficial 25176), arts. 257, 258 and 259, 2004-11-15 official text · verified 2026-10-29

2. Electricity: ASEP grants concessions (hydro, geothermal, transmission, distribution) and licences (other generation) and can fine providers up to B/.20,000,000.Texto Único de la Ley 6 de 1997, arts. 44, 45, 50 and 151, 2021-07-05 official text · verified 2026-10-29

3. Telecom: the Cabinet grants type A concessions by tender and ASEP grants type B concessions; terms are 20 years.Ley 31 de 1996, arts. 22 and 23, 1996-02-08 official text · verified 2026-10-29

4. Metal mining: MICI cannot grant, renew or extend any metal mining concession while Ley 407 de 2023's indefinite moratorium lasts.Ley 407 de 2023, arts. 1 to 4, 2023-11-03 official text · verified 2026-10-29

5. Ports and shipping: AMP grants port concessions of up to 20 years and operating licences of up to 10 years, and runs the ship registry open to owners of any nationality.Ley 56 de 2008 arts. 38 and 45; Ley 57 de 2008 art. 3, as listed, 2008-08-06 official text · verified 2026-10-29

6. Fisheries and aquaculture: ARAP licenses fishing vessels and grants aquaculture concessions of up to 20 years.Ley 204 de 2021, arts. 42 and 91, 2021-03-18 official text · verified 2026-10-29

7. Medicinal cannabis: the Ministry of Health licenses manufacturing and research, only to companies.Ley 242 de 2021, art. 14, 2021-10-13 official text · verified 2026-10-29

8. The Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the Panama Ports Company contract law for Balboa and Cristóbal and its 2021 extension, after its 2023 ruling against the Cobre Panamá contract law.Fallo del Pleno de la Corte Suprema de Justicia de 29 de enero de 2026 (Comunicado del Pleno), comunicado, 2026-01-29 official text · verified 2026-10-29

Sector	Authority	Title	Main law	Page
Electricity	ASEP	Concession or licence	Ley 6 de 1997 (texto único 2021)	sectors/electricity-market
Solar and wind	ASEP, Secretaría Nacional de Energía, MEF	Licence plus tax exemptions	Ley 37 de 2013, Ley 44 de 2011	sectors/renewable-energy-incentives
Metal mining	MICI	None available (moratorium)	Ley 407 de 2023	sectors/metal-mining-moratorium-and-cobre-panama
Ports	AMP	Concession or operating licence	Ley 56 de 2008	sectors/ports-and-port-concessions
Shipping	AMP, Dirección General de Marina Mercante	Ship registration	Ley 57 de 2008	sectors/ship-registry-and-maritime-services
Telecom	Cabinet, ASEP	Type A or B concession	Ley 31 de 1996	sectors/telecommunications
Fisheries and aquaculture	ARAP	Licence or concession	Ley 204 de 2021	sectors/fisheries-and-aquaculture
Medicinal cannabis	Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture	Manufacturing or research licence	Ley 242 de 2021	sectors/medicinal-cannabis

Sector regulators and main titles.

Worked example

A renewable developer deals with ASEP for the generation licence, the Ministry of Economy for the equipment tax exemption and the State transmission company for tenders; a port investor deals with AMP and, for contract laws, the National Assembly.

Step by step

Identify the sector authority and title from the table.
Check foreign ownership rules (telecom bars foreign State control; vessel based maritime services need 75 percent Panamanian owners).
Check whether the project needs a contract law and factor in constitutional challenge risk.
Then follow the sector page for steps and fees.

Common traps

Contract laws approved by the Assembly have been struck down by the Supreme Court twice since 2023.
Metal mining is closed to new concessions indefinitely; non metallic quarrying remains open.

Sources

← Zoning and urban planning in Panama: the Ministry of Housing and municipalities, zoning changes in 30 days, and fines up to B/.100,000 for unauthorised worksMetal mining in Panama: the indefinite moratorium of Ley 407 de 2023, the Cobre Panamá ruling and what is still allowed →

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