Marsaxlokk to Manzanillo shipping route.

Marsaxlokk to Manzanillo is a 7,060 nautical mile shipping route via Panama Canal, heading north west from Malta to Mexico. 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.

Shipping time depends on speed. At 14 knots, a common container ship service speed, the passage takes 21.0 days at sea. Slow steaming at 12 knots stretches it to 24.5 days, while 18 knots brings it down to 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 Marsaxlokk and Manzanillo 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 Marsaxlokk to Manzanillo move with fuel prices, ship capacity and the season. Compare several carriers before booking: the cheapest sailing is often the slowest one. At Manzanillo (MXZLO) carriers give about 7 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 Marsaxlokk in this directory, Manzanillo is the 44th shortest. Closer destinations include Laem Chabang (6,821 nm), Callao (6,757 nm) and Ho Chi Minh City (6,653 nm).