Under pressure from pro-Palestinian groups in Spain, the Danish-flagged cargo ship Marianne Danica has altered its route, choosing to refuel in Casablanca instead of Gibraltar while transporting arms to Israel. The diversion highlights ongoing tensions as activists and human rights groups in Morocco and Spain protest against the shipment of weapons to the region. Under mounting pressure from pro-Palestinian groups in Spain, a Danish-flagged cargo ship carrying arms bound for Israel has changed course, opting to stop at the port of Casablanca in Morocco instead of Gibraltar. The vessel, Marianne Danica, departed from Chennai, India, en route to Haifa, Israel, with 18 containers of 155mm shells reportedly destined for Elbit Systems, a leading Israeli weapons manufacturer, according to Spanish media reports. Refueling in Casablanca Originally scheduled to dock in Gibraltar early last Monday, the ship diverted to Casablanca for refueling before continuing its voyage through the Strait of Gibraltar without making the planned stop. Maritime tracking data shows the vessel left Casablanca on October 6 at 19:34 UTC after a seven-hour stay. By the morning of October 7, it had passed Larache, Morocco, heading toward the Strait of Gibraltar. According to Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, the ship remains en route to Haifa, Israel. It is expected to make a subsequent stop at the port of Valletta in Malta, after Cape Verdean authorities denied it entry to Porto Grande do Mindelo due to the hazardous nature of its cargo. Previous Incidents This is not an isolated incident. Moroccan human rights groups have previously protested against what they describe as «ships of shame» docking at Moroccan ports such as Tanger Med and Casablanca while transporting weapons to Israel. Several associations have also organized marches across Moroccan cities to denounce these shipments. In May 2024, Spanish authorities barred the Marianne Danica from docking in Cartagena while it was carrying rocket engines and other military materials to Israel. Pro-Palestinian organizations in Spain continue to call on the government to intercept vessels transporting arms to Israel as they pass through Spanish waters, condemning what they describe as genocide in the Gaza Strip.
