Panama-flagged ships

China defends its inspections of Panama-flagged ships as routine safety checks, rejecting U.S. and Panamanian claims that the inspections are weaponized. Beijing claims these vessels had the highest share of accidents in its waters this year, with detentions increasing after Panama voided a Chinese-linked canal.

Two Panama-flagged ships were attacked in the Black Sea within a week, resulting in crew member deaths and injuries. Panama has warned its ships to avoid Ukrainian and Russian waters, highlighting its role as the operator of the world’s largest ship registry with a 16% share.