According to World Cargo News, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) of the United States is evaluating multiple retaliatory measures against Spanish ships, including fines, entry bans, and cargo restrictions, in response to Spain's policy of refusing certain American vessels entry into its ports.

This issue stems from a policy implemented by the Spanish government in 2024, which refuses ships believed to be carrying military supplies to and from Israel from docking at its ports.

An investigation by the FMC confirmed that between November 9 and 14, 2024, Spain denied entry to three vessels flying the American flag and participating in the U.S. Maritime Security Program (MSP), including the "Maersk Denver" and "Maersk Seletar" vessels owned by the Maersk Group. These vessels were obstructed due to allegations of carrying military supplies destined for Israel and were ultimately denied entry and had to reroute to Morocco.

In a recent statement, the FMC expressed that there are grounds to believe that Spain's policy "likely" has adverse effects on the shipping conditions of U.S. foreign trade. To determine the extent of the impact and decide on the next steps, the commission has initiated a public comment process.

Under the authority of relevant U.S. laws, the range of retaliatory measures being considered by the FMC is broad, extending beyond fines to include restrictions on the voyages of Spanish ships to or from U.S. ports, imposing fees per voyage (with a fine cap of $2,304,629), and limiting the quantity or type of cargo Spanish vessels can carry.

The FMC emphasizes that final decisions have not been made yet, and all measures under consideration are still in the evaluation phase. The commission states that the ultimate actions will be based on its statutory responsibilities, a comprehensive investigation record, and public feedback collected from various stakeholders in the shipping industry.