U.S. opens investigation into Spain's reported port denials of cargo ships carrying arms to Israel

U.S soldiers stand on a docked U.S ship that will transport the Gaza aid, at the port in southern city of Larnaca, Cyprus, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

WASHINGTON — The United States has opened an investigation into whether NATO ally Spain has been denying port entry to cargo vessels reportedly transporting U.S. weapons to Israel.

The Federal Maritime Commission, an independent body charged with monitoring and evaluating conditions that may affect shipping and U.S. international trade, said it had opened the probe after receiving information that Spain had refused to allow at least three cargo vessels into its ports.

"The commission is concerned that this apparent policy of denying entry to certain vessels will create conditions unfavorable to shipping in the foreign trade," it said Thursday in a notice published in the Federal Register.

If the investigation determines that Spain has interfered with such commerce, the commission could levy millions of dollars in fines, up to US$2.3 million per voyage, it said.

The notice said the commission had been informed on Nov. 19 that Spain was denying port entry to ships, including those enrolled in the U.S.-run Maritime Security Program, which is supposed to afford vessels and their owners protection against "restrictive and discriminatory" licensing because their services are often used by the U.S. military.

Two of the three incidents noted by the commission involved vessels run by the Danish shipping giant Maersk in November. The other occurred in May.

Spanish authorities did not immediately comment on the November incidents. But in May, Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente said the foreign ministry had denied a request to dock by the Danish-flagged ship Marianne Danica, saying it "was carrying weapons to Israel."

A day later, on May 17, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Spain's state broadcaster RTVE that this was the first ship carrying arms to Israel that had been denied entry.

"We are not going to contribute to any more arms reaching the Middle East," he 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."

The refusal to allow the Marianne Danica to dock at the Mediterranean port of Cartegena came just days before Spain, along with Ireland and Norway, recognized a Palestinian state on May 28.

Spain stopped its own defense companies from shipping arms to Israel in October 2023.