US considers closing its ports to Spanish ships after Spain bans American cargo vessels carrying weapons from docking on way to Israel

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PM Pedro Sánchez's government action has triggered the federal maritime commission to call for 'cargo limitations, denial of entry' and even fines in response

R. C.

Madrid

Monday, 22 December 2025, 17:17

A new chapter in the complicated relations between Donald Trump's office and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government is about to begin. On Friday, the US federal maritime commission (FMC) proposed to close its ports to Spanish ships during the investigation into Spain's official refusal to allow US cargo ships carrying weapons for Israel to call at Algeciras (Cadiz).

The American institution is currently examining various options for temporary measures in retaliation to the veto ordered months ago by Spain's government. These could include "limitations on cargo, the denial of entry to vessels operating under the Spanish flag or the imposition of fines" of 2.3 million dollars per trip on Spanish-flagged vessels.

However, the FMC has stated that a final decision has not yet been issued and that it will "carefully evaluate the evidence and all relevant considerations". The American body has said that "any action will be guided by the FMC's legal mandate and the factual record developed in the investigation".

Washington says that the Spanish government denied direct access to at least three US vessels, including vessels operated under the US maritime security program, back in November 2024. Trump's government has emphasised that "the policy motivating such denials remains in force".

FMC requests more information from shipping companies

To assess its impact on US foreign trade, the FMC has requested additional information from shippers, traders and other interested parties on "Spain's current policy of denying or refusing access to ports to certain vessels carrying cargo to or from Israel, the measures it has taken to implement this policy and the impact on shipping conditions".

Based on the information obtained so far, the FMC believes that the regulations applied by the Spanish authorities may be creating "general or special conditions unfavourable to maritime transport in US foreign trade", which is why it "must examine" what "corrective measures might be appropriate to address those conditions".