July 27th, 2021
Consulate-General of Panama 🇵🇦
Location: Room 1008, Wing On Centre, 111 Connaught Road, Central
As the first Latin American nation we visited, we were very excited to learn about this consulate’s role in Hong Kong. Located in Wing On Centre, it was a little difficult to find at first as Nick got lost in the department store. However, we eventually made our way to the office building and the Panamanian Consulate on the 10th floor.
Right as we entered, something that stuck out was the label “maritime services” branded on one of the front desks, a clear sign of things to come. While the waiting area of the consulate was relatively small, as we were brought to a back conference room, we noticed the consulate was surprisingly large, with many more staff than we initially expected for a country of this size. One of these staff, Mr. Campuzano, the Panamanian Consul General, offered us two cool glasses of water which we gladly accepted as we sat down to begin the interview.
Mr. Campuzano told us that he had arrived in March 2020, as the second Consul General appointed to this position. He had recently come from Barcelona, where he had been studying. He also told us the mission started only four years ago in 2017, meaning this consulate was the one of the newest we’d been to so far.
After introductions, we quickly moved into the mission of the consulate. Immediately, we realized this visit was going to be distinct from our previous interviews, as the Panamanian Consulate 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. This is because Panama’s ship registry offers several advantages for ship owners. For example, ships that choose to fly under Panama’s flag face far more relaxed restrictions and expenses. Therefore, the consulate operates somewhat akin to a business, bringing in their clients, connecting them with maritime authorities, and handling the proper documentation for repairs and other updates. In fact, 7 out of the 10 staff at the consulate are working for the Panamanian Maritime Authority. Panama also plays a large role in maritime trade due to the Panama Canal, where 6% of global trade moves through.
During this point in our interview, 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. He told us about working as a liaison between ship owners, providing authorizations, processing notifications for repairs, along with accepting construction notices and certifications. David was particularly interested in pirates, and surprisingly they still remain a visible threat in areas like the Malacca strait. Mr. Hernandez also talked about his many stories, from a stowaway near the refrigeration containers, to using astrology to navigate the ocean. We very much enjoyed this more personable side to the interview.
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 Hong Kongers who only hold the passport. In addition, he also told us about efforts to increase tourism in Panama, showing us the Copa Airlines (Panama’s national airline) safety video, displaying beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife akin to Lan Kwai Fong here in Hong Kong.
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.