Danish ship carrying arms to Israel refused entry by Spain

A Danish-flagged ship suspected of carrying arms from India to Israel has been refused permission to dock at a port in Spain, the official EFE news agency reported, as another ship that did have authorisation to stop said it would not do so, after indications its cargo could be inspected.

EFE quoted the Ministry of Transportation as saying last week it had denied permission for the Marianne Danica to dock at the port of Cartagena because ‘the cargo of the ship, with its final destination Israel, consists of military rocket engines.’

Meanwhile, Spain’s Murcia Today reported that the German owner of another cargo vessel, the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged Borkum ‘which was carrying a shipment of military arms destined for the Czech Republic and which was due to call at Cartagena, has decided not to make its planned stop in the Spanish port.’

The Solidarity Network Against the Occupation of Palestine (‘Rescop’) organisation had accused the Borkum of also carrying weapons bound for Israel, not the Czech Republic as stated.

Spain’s leftist Podemos party had filed a complaint to detain the freighter upon arrival ‘and check whether it is transporting weapons destined for Israel,’ EFE reported.

Meanwhile, Spanish economy minister Carlos Cuerpo noted that, since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza conflict, the Spanish government ‘has not authorised any licence to export arms to Israel.’