Dutch-flagged ship suspected of carrying weapons to Israel becomes untraceable
Legal experts say such 'ghost destinations' may be used to avoid scrutiny or restrictions from countries that may block arms shipments to Israel.
A Dutch-flagged cargo ship suspected of transporting weapons to Israel has become untraceable, according to a report published by the Dutch newspaper Trouw on Tuesday.
The vessel, De Rijnvliet, likely arrived in the Israeli port of Haifa on March 16, carrying bomb and cartridge casings, based on findings by Irish investigative outlet The Ditch. Ship-tracking data earlier listed Haifa as the destination, but this was changed to Limassol in the Greek-administered Cyprus.
The ship’s location has not been updated since March 15, raising further questions. Legal experts say such “ghost destinations” are sometimes used to avoid scrutiny or restrictions from countries that may block arms shipments to Israel.
The ship’s owner, Hartel Shipping and Chartering, took its website offline shortly after the findings were published and could not be reached for comment.
The European Legal Support Center warned the ship’s insurer that it could face liability for facilitating potential war crimes, though no sanctions currently prohibit such shipments.
According to international law, the Netherlands may be held responsible for activities on ships flying its flag. Experts say governments must prevent arms transfers if there is a risk they could be used in violations of humanitarian law.
Dutch authorities have not publicly responded to the case.