The Story of Roatan’s Most Iconic Shipwreck: M Alexand

The M Alexand stands as an imposing and enigmatic figure on the coast of Roatan. Its rusting hull, stranded in Dixon Cove, has made it one of the most photographed shipwrecks on the island. But beyond its visual appeal, this vessel holds a complex history that stretches from Europe to Central America, involving wars, commerce, and political conflict.

From Germany to Israel: A Floating War Reparation

The ship was built in Germany in 1951 as part of post-war reparations to Israel. It became part of the Zim Israel Lines fleet under the name Rimon and operated as a cargo vessel during the early years of the newly established Israeli state. It transported goods to and from Israel until the mid-1960s.

A Changing Identity

Over the following decades, the ship changed names and owners several times. It was known as Kastor, then Nausika, and later as Lady Salla. In 1977, it was sold to Honduran interests and renamed M Alexand. Curiously, the name seems to trace back to a subspecies of brown rat common in 19th-century British warehouses, scientifically referred to as M. alexand.

A Key to Honduras’ Cement Industry

Under the Honduran flag, the M Alexand became a strategic tool in the country's cement export boom. Operating out of Puerto Cortes, it transported cement produced by Cementos Bijao to destinations across the Caribbean, including Belize, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands. At a time when regional construction was booming, the ship helped position Honduras as a major cement supplier.

The Trip to Ecuador and the Beginning of the Downfall

In 1981, the vessel set sail for Ecuador carrying 300,000 sacks of cement. However, it suffered a series of mechanical failures en route. First, it was stranded in Cristóbal, then encountered further issues near Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua. Eventually, it reached Roatan as an emergency measure. Part of the cargo was damaged by water leaks and ended up being used as fill for a local port project.

A Political Crisis That Sealed Its Fate

Meanwhile, Cementos Bijao’s financial situation was worsening. The Honduran government, under new leadership, refused to back a critical loan for the company’s expansion. Without that support, plans to send the M Alexand to Tampa for repairs were halted. Although the ship required significant work, it was not structurally unsafe. Still, without funding or government assistance, the vessel was abandoned.

From Safe Harbor to Marine Graveyard

As hurricane season approached, the ship was towed to Dixon Cove, then an uninhabited bay surrounded by mangroves. It was deliberately beached there. Over time, it began to list, and its stern settled in waters about twenty meters deep. There were several proposals to raise the ship, including one by the U.S. military, but none came to fruition.

A Silent Witness to History

Since then, the M Alexand has remained motionless, slowly deteriorating. In the 1980s and 1990s, people would sneak aboard at night to cut off pieces of its hull to sell as scrap metal. Today, its rusting silhouette is part of Roatan’s landscape—a silent reminder of an era of industrial ambition, political decisions that shaped a company’s fate, and a little-known chapter in Honduran history. It can now be clearly seen from the Dream Ferries terminal.