Spain Blocks Maersk Ship Suspected of Transporting Weapons to Israel

Spain Denies Entry to Maersk Container Ship

The Spanish port of Algeciras denied permission for the Maersk container ship suspected of transporting weapons to Israel to dock. This decision was confirmed by the Danish company on Saturday.

According to El Pais, the Spanish government decided that two Maersk ships would not stop in Spain due to allegations of carrying Israeli weapons in their cargo. The ship, named Maersk Denver, has been redirected to Tangier and is reportedly headed to Oman.

Spanish left-wing coalition deputy Enrique Santiago raised concerns this week, stating that allowing the ships to dock would violate the government’s agreement to prevent the shipment or transit of arms to Israel.

Spain is actively seeking to persuade its European partners to recognize a Palestinian state and has refused entry to ships carrying weapons to Israel since the beginning of the year.

Maersk clarified that the cargo intended for transshipment at the port does not include weapons or military ammunition. They also stated that they are in consultation with Spanish authorities to understand the change in criteria regarding the cargo that was not inspected.

The company emphasized that Spain's new policy appears to reject any ship transporting goods related to the Israeli Armed Forces, even if the cargo is legal.

Spain, which has suspended its arms sales to Israel, is one of the European countries most critical of the ongoing war in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Portuguese government has indicated that there are no reasons to prevent one of the vessels from docking in Lisbon, following inquiries from the Left Bloc.