Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd

What Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd does

Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd is a Sri Lanka-based maritime services company headquartered in Ja-Ela that has operated continuously since 1998, delivering four integrated service lines to vessel operators and shipowners: maritime recruitment (placement of qualified seafarers from deck cadets to master mariners across multiple nationalities), shipping agency (port representation, customs/immigration clearance, pilotage and berth coordination across all Sri Lankan ports including Colombo, Hambantota, Trincomalee and Galle), bunkers and provisions (fuel, lubricants, fresh water and bonded stores supply), and casual caller support (rapid mobilisation for unscheduled port calls including emergency berthing, crew changes, medical evacuation and repairs). Revenue is generated through professional services fees (recruitment and agency) and transaction fees (bunkers supply), with quote-based, contract-tailored pricing and no publicly disclosed rate cards. The firm holds MLC 2006 certification, ISO 9001:2015 accreditation, a DGMS shipping agent license, and SLPA approval, and is a member of the Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA).

The company is privately held by the Fernando family — CEO/Managing Director Ernest Fernando (25+ years shipping experience including Japan operations), Director Prashan Danan Fernando (Kingston University London and Birmingham City University educated, overseeing operations), and Director Eric Fernando (20+ years sailing experience, business development). Operations are conducted by a team of approximately 9 employees from a single Ja-Ela office, with 24/7 emergency crew mobilisation capability. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting vessel operators globally for crew placement and direct service delivery to vessels calling at Sri Lankan ports for agency, bunkers and casual caller work; digital channels include a corporate website (panamashipping.lk) with an online crew application portal, plus LinkedIn and Facebook pages. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is built on personal relationships, regulatory credentials, and operational expertise accumulated over 27 years.

Name

Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd

Legal name

Panama Shipping (Private) Limited

Website

https://panamashipping.lk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd is a Sri Lanka-based maritime services firm operating since 1998, providing seafarer recruitment, port agency, bunkers and provisions, and casual caller support to vessel operators and shipowners across all major Sri Lankan ports.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

akta.pro primary industry

Port Call Clearance & Documentation (Arrival/Departure, Customs/Immigration/Health) (TLAHAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Spare Parts, Ship Chandlery & Logistics to Vessel (TLAHAJAF)

Keywords

• Maritime recruitment services
• Shipping agency services
• Maritime crew supply
• Bunker and provision supply
• Port agency operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Ja-Ela

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Maritime Recruitment Services: Placement of qualified seafarers with vessel operators. Revenue generated through recruitment fees for matching crew members to positions ranging from deckhands to captains. They serve shipowners needing full crew complements or single relief officers.
2. Shipping Agency Services: Port agency services across Sri Lankan ports including customs clearance, immigration liaison, pilotage arrangement, berth coordination, and vessel attendance. Revenue generated through agency fees for coordinating port operations.
3. Bunkers and Provisions Supply: Arrangement of fuel supply (HFO, VLSFO, MGO, MDO), lubricants, fresh water, and provisions for vessels calling at Sri Lankan ports. Revenue generated through supply coordination and logistics services.
4. Casual Caller Services: Handling of unscheduled port calls for tramp vessels and project cargo carriers. Services include emergency berthing, crew changes, medical evacuation support, and repair coordination. Revenue from service fees for urgent mobilisation services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd provides maritime recruitment and shipping agency services from Sri Lanka, placing qualified seafarers across all vessel types and ranks with vessel operators globally. The firm also acts as a licensed port agent at all Sri Lankan ports, coordinating customs clearance, immigration, pilotage, and vessel attendance, while arranging bunkers, provisions, and casual caller emergency response for unscheduled port calls.

Product overview

Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd operates as a maritime services company offering four integrated core service modules: Maritime Recruitment (primary service placing seafarers across all ranks and vessel types), Shipping Agency (port representation and clearance across Sri Lankan ports), Bunkers & Provisions (fuel and supply logistics), and Casual Callers (emergency unscheduled port support). These services work together to deliver end-to-end maritime solutions from Sri Lanka, covering crew supply, vessel port operations, fuel and provisioning, and rapid-response emergency services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maritime Recruitment Placement of qualified seafarers across all vessel types and ranks — from deck cadets to master mariners — with credential verification, structured screening, and 24/7 mobilisation support for vessel operators globally.
• Shipping Agency Full port agency services across all Sri Lankan ports including customs clearance, immigration liaison, port authority coordination, pilotage arrangement, berth coordination, and vessel attendance for shipowners and operators.
• Bunkers & Provisions Arrangement of fuel supply (HFO, VLSFO, MGO, MDO), lubricants, fresh water, provisions, and bonded stores for vessels calling at Sri Lankan ports to ensure uninterrupted operations.
• Casual Callers Rapid mobilisation port support for unscheduled vessel calls, including emergency berthing, crew changes, medical evacuation support, emergency repair coordination, spare parts sourcing, and short-notice bunkering and provisioning for tramp vessels and project cargo carriers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Most clients have been with them for over a decade
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement: Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement is a large German-based ship manager offering crew management, technical management, and maritime services worldwide. Comparable to Panama Shipping on crewing and ship agency but with a global footprint.
• V.Ships: V.Ships is one of the world's largest independent ship management and crew management groups, providing crewing, technical management, and vessel services globally. It overlaps with Panama Shipping on maritime recruitment and ship agency services but operates at vastly larger scale across many geographies.
• Wilhelmsen Ship Management: Wilhelmsen Ship Management provides crew management, technical services, and maritime logistics globally as part of the Wilhelmsen group. Comparable to Panama Shipping on maritime crewing and vessel services but at much larger scale.
• Anglo-Eastern Group: Anglo-Eastern is a major global ship management and crew management company with thousands of seafarers under management. Comparable to Panama Shipping on crew recruitment and shipping agency services but operating a much broader international network.

Direct peers

• GAC Group: GAC is a global ship agency and logistics provider offering port agency, crew changes, bunker coordination, and husbandry services worldwide. It directly mirrors Panama Shipping's four service lines at significantly larger scale and geographic breadth.
• Elcome International: Elcome International is a maritime services group providing ship agency, supplies, and technical services across multiple ports. Directly comparable to Panama Shipping on shipping agency and vessel husbandry services in regional port markets.

Emerging players

• Faststream Recruitment: Faststream Recruitment specialises in maritime and shipping industry recruitment, placing officers and ratings with shipowners. Directly comparable to Panama Shipping's Maritime Recruitment service as a specialist maritime crewing firm.

Regional players

• Aitken Spence Shipping: Aitken Spence is a Sri Lankan conglomerate with a shipping and logistics division providing agency, freight, and maritime services in the region. It is a regional peer to Panama Shipping in the Sri Lankan ship agency market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PanamaShipping.lk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/panama-shipping-pvt-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Panama Shipping (Pvt) Ltd