Ambassador Juan B. Sosa, Consul General of Panama in Houston, was announced today (February 7, 2019) as the new Dean of the Consular Corps of Houston, effective immediately. The Consular Corps of Houston is the third largest in the United States after Washington, DC and New York City. The designation of Consul Sosa elevates the diplomatic profile of Panama and the Americas and is a recognition of the high professionalism shown by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Panama in their diplomatic endeavors. The designation of Dean responds to a series of factors that include tenure, participation, contributions to the Consular Corps and good relations with other consuls.

The Consulate General of Panama in Houston has been selected as the “Most Trusted Maritime Services” in the State of Texas by the prestigious magazine “International Transport News”. The consulate is one of sixty consulates across the world that provides services in support of The Panama Shipping Registry – the oldest and largest in the world. The Shipping Registry is part of The Panama Maritime Authority, an agency of the Government of Panama that last year celebrated its 100th anniversary. The consulate also hosts the registry’s Global Offshore Center. Its operations are forward in technology and designed for fast & accurate service. The consulate’s offices are located in Greenway Plaza (Houston) which is an area that hosts several shipping companies. International Transport News relies on industry experts in the government field and think-thanks around the world. They cover issues pertaining to logistics, shipping, and aviation to name a few.

 Air China inaugurated its new route from Beijing to Panama via Houston starting on April 5, 2018. The new route is created nine months after Panama and the People’s Republic of China established diplomatic relations set to stimulate investment, commerce, tourism, and cooperation between the two countries.