The United States investigates whether Spain denies entry to ships carrying weapons for Israel

The United States has opened an investigation to determine whether Spain, a NATO ally, is preventing cargo ships from docking at its ports who, according to reports, were transporting weapons from the North American country to Israel.

«The Federal Maritime Commission has launched an investigation into reports that the Government of Spain is creating unfavorable conditions for maritime transport in the foreign trade of the United States by denying entry to its ports to certain vessels, including those participating in the Maritime Security Program,” details this Friday the Federal Register.

The Commission, according to the record itself, was informed on November 19 that Spain had denied entry to its ports to at least three shipsincluding some participating in the Maritime Security Program (MSP) of the United States Maritime Administration (MARAD).

In this sense, the Commission confesses itself “concerned” that this “apparent policy of denying entry to certain vessels” creates “unfavorable conditions” for maritime transport in foreign trade, whether on a particular route or in trade in general.

In the event that the investigation determines that Spain has interfered with said trade, the Commission could impose fines of up to 2.3 million dollars per trippicks up the news agency Associated Press.

One in May and two in November

This last vessel referred to by the Federal Maritime Commission is the Danish flag freighter ‘Marianne Danica’with which controversy broke out in Spain after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied authorization to dock in the port of Cartagena (Murcia), when carrying military equipment destined for the Jewish State.

That same day, the Department of José Manuel Albares stated that no ship with weapons destined for Israel could stopover in Spain. “It will be a consistent policy (…) We are not going to foment war in the Middle East,” the minister said about a measure that became effective that same day.