The announcement was made at the 21st IMPA International Congress, which took place in London.

A vice-chairmanship of the Executive Committee of the IMPA for the 2012-2016 period was also elected during the event, and the seat will be occupied by Captain Alvaro Moreno, who also sits on the board of the Panama Canal Pilots Association (APCP in Spanish).

The participation of APCP in the decision-making bodies of IMPA is especially important, since it has had a consultative status in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since 1973, an entity in which Panama is one of the leading members.

The APCP has been affiliated with the International Maritime Pilots' Association since 1974. Based in London, the IMPA is composed of pilot organizations from 54 countries around the world.