The authorities did not explain why two of the crew had not been charged.
The vessel was detained Sunday after Panamanian officials received a tip off that she could be carrying drugs, but officials found some old military equipment components under some 250,000 bags of brown sugar.
Cuba said the Chong Chon Gang was bringing back for repair to Pyongyang a large number of military equipment dating from around the 1950s, including two MIG fighter jets.
Last Wednesday, the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Relations said the shipment was legal and called for the immediate release of the 35 crew members in custody.
"This shipment is weapons which can no longer be used," the government said. "They will be sent back to Cuba after being reconditioned." "The authorities of Panama should release the detained crew and let the ship go as soon as possible," it added.
Panama has requested that the United Nations Security Council investigate the cargo as a violation of sanctions that prohibit North Korea trading in war materiel and announced a UN team would arrive in Panama August 5 to complete the investigation.
A UN arms embargo on North Korea covers all Pyongyang's exports and most imports, except for small arms, light weapons and related materials.
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