How to Ship Your Furniture and Belongings to Panama: Complete Moving Guide

When you're making the big move to Panama - whether you're retiring, starting a business, or beginning a new chapter - your personal belongings tell the story of who you are. That beloved heirloom furniture, family photos, artwork, or kitchen equipment from your restaurant back home? These things matter. According to International Living, Panama has become the top retirement destination in Latin America, with over 350,000 expats now calling it home. But here's the reality nobody tells you: getting your stuff here safely and affordably requires more than just throwing things in a shipping container. You need people who understand the unique logistics of international moving, who know the customs requirements, and who actually care that your grandmother's dining table arrives in perfect condition. That's what sets professional freight services apart from DIY shipping disasters.

This isn't just a moving company - it's a full-service logistics operation run by Lzette Lacona (president) and her family, including her brother Jamie and niece Nicole. They've spent the last 15 years specializing specifically in Panama moves after 35 years in the broader international moving business. Here's what makes them different: they don't just move household items. They handle restaurant equipment, hotel furniture, business freight, vehicles, pallets, and everything in between. If you're opening a restaurant in Panama City and need to ship your commercial kitchen setup from New York? They've got you. If you're moving from a farm in Iowa and think you're too far from a port? They handle that too. They work with both ocean freight and air shipping depending on timeline and budget, and they consolidate shipments at their Miami hub before sending them down to Panama. Austin Hess from DoPanama explains the value this way: 'When people are buying real estate in Panama and moving to Panama, a lot of people want to bring personal items, and sometimes that's furniture, heirloom furniture, vehicles, all of this good stuff.' The Logistic Freight Group team handles all of it.

The process is straightforward and family-friendly because, well, it's a family business. You reach out via email, phone, or WhatsApp - they have a preference for direct contact because they're available 24/7 across different time zones. Within 24 hours, you'll have a quote. From there, the logistics magic happens. If you're on the East Coast, your stuff might go to the nearest port immediately. If you're in Oregon or Washington State, they coordinate getting your items to a consolidation point, then to Miami. That's where the 20,000 square foot warehouse becomes crucial - instead of waiting for a full container just for your shipment, your items get consolidated with other Panama-bound freight, which saves you money. You're not paying for an entire 40-foot container when you only have a few pallets. Once consolidated, everything ships to Panama where Hakona - the logistics coordinator in Panama - handles all customs documentation, clearance, and final delivery to your new home. Whether that's Boquete in the highlands, Coronado on the Pacific coast, Panama City in the metro area, or any other destination across the country, they coordinate the whole thing. As Lzette puts it: 'We consolidate it. We bring it there. And then from there we ship it out to Panama... Some people go to Boquete, some people go to Bulang, some people go to Panama City. So some of you are in Miami and some of you are here and you guys make it work.'

The beauty of working with a specialized freight company is that almost everything is possible. Household items? Of course - furniture, boxes, artwork, photos, decorations. Vehicles? Absolutely. Commercial equipment for a business venture? That's part of their daily work. Pallets of items? They'll build custom pallets for exactly what you need. The company doesn't require you to commit to a full container. If you sold your house furnished and only want to ship a few paintings and personal keepsakes, they'll build a pallet just for that. If you're moving a complete household, they coordinate full container shipments. They service expats coming to Panama AND expats who need to return to the US or Canada, which means they understand the reverse logistics too. This flexibility is huge because moving to Panama looks different for everyone. A retired couple downsizing might ship one bedroom's worth of furniture plus their personal collections. A business owner opening a hotel might ship hundreds of thousands of dollars in commercial equipment. A digital nomad might just send a few boxes. The infrastructure exists to handle all of it efficiently.

One of the advantages of working with an established Panama logistics company is they know every region of the country and have the connections to deliver anywhere. Boquete, the cool highland town in Chiriqui province where thousands of expats have relocated for the eternal spring climate and lower cost of living, gets regular shipments. Bocas del Toro, the Caribbean island destination for adventure seekers and digital nomads, is on their route. Coronado on the Pacific coast is a favorite for beach-loving retirees. Panama City itself, the metro hub where business opportunities thrive, gets consolidated shipments. El Valle de Anton, the interior mountain town. Pedasi, the sleepy beach town on the Azuero Peninsula. Bulang, the emerging development area. They've built their business on understanding that Panama's expat population doesn't cluster in one place - people spread across the country based on their lifestyle preferences, and the logistics company has to meet them wherever they are. This is important because it means you're not paying extra for remote delivery - it's built into their business model.

Shipping your belongings is just one piece of the larger Panama relocation puzzle. According to the US Embassy, Panama's Pensioner Visa (which requires just $1,000 per month guaranteed income) has attracted retirees globally. But getting your physical possessions here smoothly sets the emotional tone for your entire move. Arriving in your new Panama home and having your furniture, your books, your family photos already there waiting for you? That transforms the relocation from 'I'm moving to a new country' into 'I'm building my new life here.' DoPanama Real Estate & Relocation works closely with companies like Logistic Freight Group because they understand this. When Austin Hess and his team help someone buy property in Panama, one of the first conversations is about logistics. How will you get your things here? What are you bringing? What should you leave behind? What's the timeline? Working with established professionals means you're not figuring this out as you go - you have a plan from day one.

In the video, Lzette emphasizes something that matters more than people realize: direct contact. This is a family business, which means you're talking to decision-makers, not call center representatives reading scripts. You can reach them via email through their website, by phone, or on WhatsApp. They operate 24/7 across time zones because they work with clients in multiple countries simultaneously. That 24-hour quote turnaround isn't just a number - it's a promise that real people, who know the business intimately, will personally review your move requirements and get you accurate pricing fast. Nicole (niece) might contact you. Jamie (brother) might coordinate your shipment. Hakona (logistics coordinator) will manage your cargo through Panama customs. This continuity of contact with actual decision-makers rather than rotating customer service staff means something gets lost in translation less often. When you have questions about whether your piano will fit in a container, or whether you can ship your vehicle's parts separately, you're talking to someone who's made hundreds of similar decisions before.

Here's what you need to know about getting a quote: you'll have one within 24 hours, which immediately puts you ahead of most logistics companies. The actual timeline for delivery varies. A shipment from Washington State might take longer than one from Miami because of inland logistics to the port. Ocean freight takes longer but costs less. Air freight costs more but arrives faster. How far you're shipping from affects cost - closer to established ports means lower logistics fees. The amount you're shipping matters hugely - a full 40-foot container has different economics than a partial shipment that gets consolidated. The route into Panama matters - some routes via Miami are more efficient than direct shipments, depending on where you're originating. These variables are why the initial consultation is so important. You need actual professionals looking at your specific situation, not an online calculator making generic estimates. Lzette explains this reality: 'Don't be afraid if it's, you know, somewhere very far off, Iowa, Washington State. I have people that move from a farm and they're like, But I'm very far from ports. Don't worry about it. We got you. You got it all taken care of.' This is the confidence that comes from actually solving complex logistics problems repeatedly.