Manzanillo to Marsaxlokk shipping route.

Manzanillo to Marsaxlokk is a 7,060 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading north east from Mexico to Malta. That is 13,075 km of water against 11,156 km as the crow flies. On the way the vessel passes Strait of Gibraltar and Panama Canal, so canal transit fees and waiting time at the canal are part of every voyage.

Pure steaming time is 21.0 days at 14 knots. A carrier that slow steams at 12 knots to save fuel needs 24.5 days, and a fast 18 knot string about 16.3. Container transit time on a liner service is longer than the steaming time: ships call at other ports on the rotation, and cargo may transship at a hub. Add terminal time at Manzanillo and Marsaxlokk to plan the full ocean transit time.

The next option is via Strait of Magellan, 12,306 nautical miles, 5,246 nm longer than the main route. Carriers pick it when Strait of Gibraltar is congested or closed.

1,159 nm of the route, 16% of it, lies inside US Caribbean Sea ECA and Mediterranean Sea ECA. In an emission control area ships must burn fuel with no more than 0.1% sulphur or clean the exhaust with scrubbers. That fuel costs more, and carriers add it to the ocean freight bill as a low sulphur or ECA surcharge.

Container freight rates on Manzanillo to Marsaxlokk move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Marsaxlokk (MTMAR) carriers give about 6 free days before demurrage and detention charges start, so plan the truck or rail pickup before the box lands.

Of the 65 port to port routes from Manzanillo in this directory, Marsaxlokk is the 38th shortest. Closer destinations include Dalian (7,045 nm), Ningbo (7,023 nm) and Qingdao (6,982 nm).