The United States has launched a probe into whether Spain has denied port entry to cargo ships reportedly transporting American weapons to Israel.
The U.S. Investigation
On Thursday, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)—an independent body that monitors issues related to U.S. shipping—said it had opened an investigation based on reports that Spain wouldn’t permit at least three vessels into its ports. Two of the three incidents involved in the investigation occurred in November, while the other happened in May.
“The commission is concerned that this apparent policy of denying entry to certain vessels will create conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade,” the FMC said in a message published in the Federal Register.
The FMC said in the notice that it was informed last month of Spain refusing port entry to ships participating in U.S. Maritime Administration’s Maritime Security Program, which is designed to give vessels protection due to their possible use by the U.S. military.
Should the FMC find that Spain did deny port entry to such ships, it could fine the country up to $2.3 million per voyage.
View of a port on September 17, 2024, in Ares, Galicia, Spain. The United States is investigating Spain’s reported denial of port entry for ships believed to be carrying arms to Israel.
View of a port on September 17, 2024, in Ares, Galicia, Spain. The United States is investigating Spain’s reported denial of port entry for ships believed to be carrying arms to Israel.
Photo by Xurxo Lobato/GETTY IMAGES
An FMC spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal that there’s no definitive evidence that Spain blocked any ships due to the belief that they were carrying weapons, adding the probe would try to determine if Spain broke the law.
“We are looking to see whether these reports are accurate. We are trying to understand if this actually happened and why,” the spokesperson said, according to The Wall Street Journal.
What Spanish Officials Have Said
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Spanish authorities did not immediately comment on the reports of port denial taking place in November.
However, in May, Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said a Danish-flagged ship was not given permission to dock because it “was carrying weapons to Israel.”
A day after Puente made his comments, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Spain’s national state-owned public television broadcaster RTVE that the incident was the first time a vessel carrying weapons to Israel had been refused entry to the country’s docks.
“We are not going to contribute to any more arms reaching the Middle East,” Albares said. “The Middle East needs peace. That is why that this first denial of authorization will start a policy for any boat carrying arms to Israel that wants to dock at a Spanish port.”
Days after the Danish-flagged ship was denied port entry in May, Spain became one of three European countries—along with Norway and Ireland—that moved to recognize a Palestinian state.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.