Danish shipping giant Maersk has denied recent media claims that one of its vessels operating under its American subsidiary has been transporting weapons to Israel. The company stated that certain “groups” are targeting it with campaigns containing false information in an attempt to draw attention to their causes.
In a statement published on its official website, Maersk affirmed that all its commercial operations are conducted “in accordance with international standards for responsible business conduct, including the UN Global Compact and the OECD Guidelines,” adding that it “upholds a strict policy of not shipping weapons or ammunition to active conflict zones.”
The company explained that this strict policy applies to “all regions affected by active conflicts, including Israel and Gaza.” It noted that since the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, it has “enhanced its cargo review and acceptance procedures and implemented additional compliance measures to reinforce our commitment to responsible operations within the framework of international standards,” all while remaining fully aligned with its weapons transport policy.
Regarding its U.S. subsidiary, Maersk Line Limited (MLL), which has been accused of being responsible for transporting arms shipments, the company clarified in its statement that MLL holds a contract with the U.S. government under the Maritime Security Program. Under this agreement, the company transports “cargo to more than 180 countries as part of security cooperation programs, including the transportation of civilian and military-related cargo to Israel, following a consistent approach across countries.”
Maersk further stated that this program includes a clear restriction, emphasizing that “the U.S. security cooperation program prohibits the transportation of classified or sensitive cargo, including weapons and ammunition, without a Transportation Plan submitted by the transporter and approved by the U.S. government.” The company stressed that its subsidiary “has never submitted such a plan” and thus has “never transported sensitive equipment under this program.”
Maersk reiterated its belief in dialogue as a means to resolving major global conflicts and affirmed its support for the right to peaceful protest. However, it also accused “some activist groups” of “attributing fabricated actions or viewpoints to opponents or institutions and using these misrepresentations to garner public attention and support for their cause,” which it says is what is happening in the “campaign” targeting it.
The company stated that the campaign is “spreading inaccurate allegations and, in some cases, presenting assumptions as documented facts, while disseminating what appears to be misleading information by manipulating publicly available data.” Maersk also expressed regret over “acts of vandalism and illegal, aggressive demonstrations at our facilities and against our employees.”
This statement comes amid a wave of protests at several global ports, particularly in Morocco and Spain, where demonstrators accused Maersk of using these ports as stopovers to transport weapons to Israel as part of its military offensive on Gaza.
Meanwhile, some media outlets have published reports claiming that Maersk-owned vessels are sailing from the U.S. to Israel carrying military equipment. However, these claims have not been substantiated with documents, which Maersk decries as misinformation and “manipulation of publicly available data.”
