The Panama Canal, which connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean in central Panama, is the boundary between South and North America and has an important strategic position. With the funding of the China Oceanic Development Foundation, the First Institute of Oceangraphy, MNR undertook the Panama Ocean Spatial Planning Project, which aims to sign a memorandum of understanding on ocean space planning cooperation with the Panama International Maritime University and the Marine Coast Division of the Panama Ministry of Environment, complete the cooperative research and implementation plan for marine spatial planning, laying a foundation for the preparation of Panama's marine spatial planning.

At present, the First Institute of Oceangraphy, MNR and the Panama International Maritime University have signed a memorandum of understanding on the cooperation agreement on marine spatial planning between China and Panama, and held the first China-Panama Marine Ecosystem Protection and Marine Spatial Planning Conference, conducted a discussion on planning area selection with the Ocean and Coast Division of the Ministry of Environment of Panama, and initially selected Charm Bay in Panama as the starting area for China-Panama marine spatial planning cooperation research and prepared an implementation plan.