Namibia blocks vessel carrying munitions

According to a BBC report, a vessel MV Kathrin, en route from Vietnam, was blocked from docking in Namibia on suspicion of carrying military cargo for Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The ship was stopped due to “explosive material destined for Israel,” Namibian Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab claimed. The ship, which left from Vietnam, had requested to dock at Walvis Bay before continuing north towards the Mediterranean.

Walvis Bay, Namibia's largest commercial port, is located on the western side of the African continent. It handles nearly 900 vessels and about eight million tons of cargo each year, the BBC cited the Namibian Ports Authority (Namport). The MV Kathrin was set to dock there on Monday but was stopped.

Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab said this was in line with Namibia's support for the Palestinian people and its call to end the violence in Gaza, as reported by the state-run New Era news website.

The report noted that the reason for the MV Kathrin's request to dock was initially uncertain, as ships on long voyages often stop for supplies, rest, or cargo exchanges.

Citing a police investigation, Dausab later confirmed that the MV Kathrin was "indeed carrying explosive material destined for Israel" and was thus barred from entering Namibian waters.

She stressed that Namibia is committed to avoiding involvement in "Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, as well as its unlawful occupation of Palestine."

The BBC noted that the Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT) welcomed the decision, with Herbert Jauch saying they are pleased that our government has decided to respect international law and not be complicit in genocide."

Namport, which had not responded to the BBC before Dausab's statement, mentioned it had not received the required pre-clearance documents but promised to ensure "effective safety and security of our territorial waters and ports" while supporting Namibia's international viewpoint on the ongoing conflict.

In their report, the BBC noted that Namport had earlier allowed another vessel with dangerous cargo to pass through but not dock.

Rights groups warned that allowing the vessel to dock could involve Namibia in possible human rights violations.