The US investigates Spain’s refusal to allow US ships carrying weapons to Israel to stop at its ports

MADRID Dec. 7 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) of the United States has opened an investigation into Spain’s alleged refusal to allow American cargo ships to call at its ports and has warned that it will impose “significant corrective measures” – with fines of up to 2.3 million of dollars per trip – if “detrimental effects” are found for maritime transport as a result of the aforementioned ban.

Spain would have “denied entry to certain vessels on at least three separate occasions this year, the two most recent cases affecting vessels flying the American flag,” according to the Commission, whose investigation will begin with a period of twenty days for the collection of information and in which “the public (may) present their observations”.

In this sense, the FMC has warned that, if the investigation confirms Spanish interference in US foreign trade, sanctions could range from “substantial daily fines” to the “prohibition of foreign ships docking in US ports.”

This announcement comes after the Government of Spain denied a stopover at the port of Algeciras (Cádiz) at the beginning of November to two cargo ships from the United States loaded with weapons for Israel.