Read Authentic Ratings for the Manzanillo

On December 1, 2025, the cargo vessel 'Manzanillo' was detained in Ningbo during an inspection conducted by the Tokyo MoU port state control authorities. The examination revealed nine deficiencies on board, three of which were deemed serious enough to warrant the vessel's detention after a careful review of its certificates and safety management protocols. Following corrective measures, the 'Manzanillo' was released on December 4 and resumed its journey, initially heading towards Zhoushan. On the same day, the vessel set sail for the Russian port of Vanino, with an estimated time of arrival on December 12.

In a concerning maritime incident, the bulk carrier 'Panamax Alexander' has been held responsible for two collisions that occurred within a mere 13 hours in the Suez Canal, as determined by a ruling from a London judge. The ship, which was improperly moored following its initial collision, swung out into the canal just as a convoy of northbound vessels was set to navigate one of the narrowest sections of the canal on July 16, 2018. According to Mr. Justice Andrew Baker's findings in the Admiralty Courts, the container ship 'NYK Orpheus' attempted to halt its progress but ended up striking the bulk carrier due to excessive speed and lack of adequate lookout. The 'Panamax Alexander' had been positioned at the canal’s edge after sustaining damage to its propeller and rudder in a prior three-vessel collision the day before. The Suez Canal Authority had authorized the convoy's passage amid the damaged vessel and two tugs planned to tow it. While two vessels navigated past safely, the third ship was traveling too fast, leading to the 'Panamax Alexander' breaking free from its moorings. This resulted in the ship's stern protruding into the canal, where it was subsequently struck by 'NYK Orpheus', leading to punctures in a cargo hold and a ballast tank. Justice Baker ruled the 'Panamax Alexander's' crew was negligent for using only six mooring lines instead of the necessary ten, and they delayed in raising an alarm about the impending danger. The court noted, "The imprudently inadequate mooring of 'Panamax Alexander' is the root cause of all subsequent incidents and represents a grave deficiency in seamanship aboard the damaged vessel. Had 'Panamax Alexander' been securely moored, it would not have posed a risk to 'Orpheus.'" Previously, in a 2020 court decision, the 'Panamax Alexander' was found entirely at fault for its role in the first collision, which resulted when another vessel in the eight-ship convoy ran aground due to mechanical failure. The legal representatives for the 'Panamax Alexander' argued that the container ships should not have proceeded through the canal until the bulk carrier was removed, also attributing blame to the 'NYK Orpheus' and 'NYK Falcon' for their high speeds. On November 11, 2022, Justice Baker ruled that the 'Panamax Alexander' and 'NYK Orpheus' would jointly be responsible for 42% of the damages incurred by the other vessel, while 'NYK Falcon' was deemed less liable and required to cover 17% of the 'Panamax Alexander's' damages. Additionally, concerns were raised regarding the level of seamanship exhibited by the three vessels involved, particularly their over-reliance on instructions from Suez pilots. Frustratingly, concerns expressed by the pilots about the safety of passing the 'Panamax Alexander' did not reach the ships’ officers due to language barriers, as noted by the judge.

A tragic incident has unfolded involving a Ukrainian crew member from the bulk carrier 'Panamax Alexander,' who was found deceased by local fishermen off the coast of Mexico. The Ukrainian Embassy in Mexico was notified on May 10, 2020, regarding the disappearance of the sailor, prompting immediate action from the ship's captain, who initiated a search in the area where it was believed the crew member fell overboard. Following the captain's report, authorities from the port of Mazatlán were alerted, and efforts to locate the missing sailor escalated with the involvement of the Mexican Navy. Unfortunately, the search concluded with the chilling discovery made by local fishermen who recovered the sailor's body. In light of this tragic event, Mexican law enforcement has launched a criminal investigation, with the case being closely monitored by the Ukrainian Embassy in Mexico, which is also working to contact the deceased’s family. The situation is under the oversight of the Department of Consular Services of Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 'Panamax Alexander' had embarked from Gunsan on April 15 and had arrived in Manzanillo on the morning of May 10, docking at 10:50 a.m. The matter raises significant concerns about crew safety and maritime protocols surrounding such incidents.

On July 17, the Suez Canal Authorities took decisive action by detaining the vessels 'Panamax Alexander,' 'Aeneas,' 'Sakizaya Kalon,' and 'Osios David.' This move was initiated due to outstanding fees related to tug services, damages to navigational buoys, refloating operations, and disruptions to the maritime route. Following their arrest, these ships were towed to Bitter Lakes for further inspections and assessments. Meanwhile, a total of 18 vessels from the southbound convoy, which had been anchored at Great Bitter Lakes since July 15, began their transit at around 7 a.m. on July 16. However, only 11 out of 29 ships in that day’s convoy successfully entered the canal, while the remaining ships were left waiting at Port Said Anchorage for transit arrangements from Suez Canal Authority (SCA). Additionally, from the northbound convoy, only six vessels managed to navigate into the canal after the clearance of the affected ships, while the rest lingered at Great Bitter Lakes and 12 additional ships held position at Suez anchorages. On the same day, approximately 25 ships registered in the northbound convoy remained at Suez anchorages, pending SCA's transit arrangements.