Morocco BDS wants to stop 'Maersk's F-35 shipment to Israel via Tangier Med Port'

Morocco's branch of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has accused Danish shipping giant Maersk of transporting components for F-35 fighter jets from the United States to Israel via the Tangier Med port, Africa's largest industrial port located on the Strait of Gibraltar opposite Tarifa, Spain.

"Opening Tangier Med Port to military shipments destined for the occupation is a dangerous political choice. It turns national infrastructure into a bridge for the genocide of the Palestinian people", BDS (Maroc) Morocco said in a statement addressed to the Moroccan government.

According to the local pro-Palestine group, the port is expected to facilitate the arrival of a new shipment carrying F-35 fighter jet components to the Israeli Nevatim air base, "the command centre of the air force that bombs Gaza daily with genocidal airstrikes."

The accusations follow an investigation by Irish outlet The Ditch and Declassified UK, which reported that military goods from the US Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth, Texas, were being transported to Nevatim air base in Israel aboard two Maersk container ships between 5 April and 1 May.

Air Force Plant 4 is a US government-owned facility operated by Lockheed Martin, the lead contractor in the multinational consortium that manufactures F-35 jets.

The latest shipment was allegedly loaded onto a vessel named Maersk Detroit, which departed Houston on 5 April. The US-flagged ship is expected to cross the Atlantic and dock in Tangier roughly two weeks later, where the cargo will be transferred to another container ship, Nexoe Maersk. Vessel tracking websites show the first near the US coast and the second near Alexandria, Egypt as of 8 April.

"This shipment from Lockheed Martin aboard their vessels will ensure the maintenance and repair of Israeli F-35s, allowing them to return to field operations in Gaza", wrote the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), an organisation leading an international campaign against Maersk.

But an official source at the Tangier Med Port, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated to Hespress, a local outlet close to state media, that the Tanger Med Port Authority "is not aware of the contents of containers being shipped through global ports or those arriving as part of temporary stops".

Both Maersk and Tangier Port were approached for comment by The New Arab but had not responded by the time of publication.

Fully compliant?

Last month, Maersk denied shipping arms or ammunition to Israel during its war in Gaza in response to a shareholder proposal at its annual general meeting (AGM) but said its policies do not prevented from shipping military-related cargo, and acknowledged shipping on behalf of the US government. 

"Maersk has a strict policy of not shipping weapons or ammunitions into any active conflict zone," CEO Vincent Clerc had told shareholders.

"We are fully compliant with all applicable laws," he said, adding that Maersk acts in accordance with United Nations guiding principles on business and human rights and OECD guidelines on responsible business conduct.

Maersk, which holds a logistics contract with the US government, insists it is only transporting military equipment, not weapons or ammunition.

"We also strongly reiterate that we do not support the violence taking place there and are horrified by the humanitarian catastrophes in this conflict," the company wrote in a statement issued back in June 2024.

United Nations (UN) experts have called for sanctions and an arms embargo against Israel, stressing that its ongoing war on Gaza—which has claimed more than 50,000 lives since 7 October 2023—amounts to genocide.

Denmark, where Maersk is headquartered, does not currently have an arms embargo and has not imposed any restrictions on sending weapons to Israel.

Under pressure from pro-Palestine groups, Spain previously refused to allow Maersk ships suspected of moving equipment to Israel to dock in its ports. Spanish authorities also pledged to investigate claims that Maersk ships previously unloaded military goods on their shores.

Over the past year, F-35 parts have typically been flown to Tel Aviv aboard cargo aircraft, suggesting that the new sea route may be intended for larger or heavier equipment.

Between November and December 2024, BDS Maroc documented the docking of at least six Maersk vessels in Tangier. Of these, only one listed Israel as its final destination; the others were reportedly bound for Oman.

Based on The Ditch and BDS's findings, Tangier port is being used as a transshipment hub—a waypoint where containers are transferred from one vessel to another without clearing customs.

Anti-Israel protests in Morocco

Morocco normalised diplomatic relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords.

Rabat's move has drawn increasing criticism as the Israeli military continues its relentless bombardment, levelling entire neighbourhoods in the besieged strip.

Since the outbreak of the war on Gaza, Rabat has condemned Israel's military offensive, calling for an immediate ceasefire and a two-state solution.

Despite this, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita has defended the country's decision to maintain ties with Israel, arguing that normalisation does not imply endorsement of Israeli policies.

Since October 2023, Moroccans have staged weekly protests demanding an end to ties with Israel and the closure of its liaison bureau in Rabat.

On 6 April, tens of thousands of demonstrators filled the capital's streets, paralysing Avenue Mohammed V outside Parliament for more than two hours. Chants ranged from condemnation of Maersk's alleged role in arms shipments to expressions of solidarity with pro-Palestinian activists who have faced prosecution in recent months.

Among them is Ismail Lghazaoui, 34, who was arrested in Casablanca on 19 November after denouncing the arrival of two Maersk ships at Tangier Port and calling for a blockade of the US embassy. He was sentenced to two months in prison on appeal and released in February.

In videos and public statements, Lghazaoui and fellow BDS organisers urged port workers and civilians to block the vessels. While the protests were limited in scale, BDS Morocco told The New Arab that some Tangier port workers had refused to unload the ships in November following the group's call.

Now, BDS Morocco is repeating its appeal. 

"We call on all workers at Tanger (Tangier) Med Port to uphold their moral and legal duty by refusing to service Maersk", the group wrote. "We are now at a decisive moment, and Moroccan authorities are faced with two choices: either refuse to allow the Maersk vessel carrying F-35 components to dock and make a historic stand, or continue siding with the camp of crimes, enabling the Zionist war machine."