40-Year-Old Cargo Ship Runs Aground Near Panama Canal’s Atlantic Entrance

An aging cargo ship has run aground on a sandy beach near the Atlantic-side entrance of the Panama Canal, according to Panamanian maritime authorities.

The incident took place at María Chiquita, a coastal community about 10 nautical miles northeast of Colón.

The Panama Maritime Authority, in coordination with the National Aeronaval Service of Panama, reported that the vessel is being closely monitored from both the air and the ground.

Authorities confirmed that all crew members were safely evacuated from the ship and that no injuries were reported.

Although the vessel’s name was not visible in official photographs, ship tracking data suggests that the grounded vessel is the Turkish-owned freighter Pax (IMO 8416750). The ship is around 40 years old.

Records show that the freighter has a history of inspection deficiencies in several key areas, including fire safety equipment, steering systems and corrosion-related issues.

Video Credits: Aeronaval Panamá/Facebook

Automatic Identification System (AIS) data indicates that the vessel had been in the area for several weeks before the incident, spending time drifting and at anchor.

In the early hours of 3 February, the ship was moving at a speed of about five knots while sailing parallel to the coast on an easterly route.

At around 0100 GMT, the vessel appears to have changed course, turning south towards the shoreline and continuing at a similar speed until it ran aground.

Authorities are carrying out inspections at the site to assess the condition of the vessel and to ensure there is no risk to navigation or the marine environment.

The cause of the grounding is currently under investigation.

Reference: globaltrademag

Source: Maritime Shipping News