Another point of tension has emerged in the already strained relationship between US President Donald Trump’s administration and the Spanish government led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
On Friday, the United States Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced that it is considering barring Spanish-flagged vessels from US ports as part of an ongoing investigation into Spain’s decision to deny port access to US cargo ships transporting weapons bound for Israel. Those vessels were prevented from docking at the port of Algeciras, in the southern province of Cádiz (Andalusia).
In a statement, the FMC said it is weighing several possible responses, including ‘cargo restrictions, denial of entry to ships operating under the Spanish flag, or the imposition of fines’ of up to $2.3 million per voyage for Spanish-flagged ships. ALSO READ: Barcelona court investigates two ship captains over alleged role in arms shipments to Israel.
The commission stressed, however, that no decision has yet been made and that it ‘will carefully evaluate the evidence and all relevant considerations’ before taking any action. ALSO READ: Trump suggests Spain should be ‘thrown out’ of NATO due to low defence spend.
US officials argue that the Spanish government has denied direct access to at least three US vessels, including vessels operated under the US maritime security programme, back in November 2024. The Trump administration has underlined that ‘the policy motivating such denials remains in force’.
As part of its inquiry into the potential effects on US foreign commerce, the FMC has sought further input from shipping companies, traders and other stakeholders regarding ‘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 information gathered so far, the FMC considers that the rules enforced by Spanish authorities may be creating ‘general or special conditions unfavourable to maritime transport in US foreign trade’. For that reason, it says it ‘must examine’ which ‘corrective measures might be appropriate to address those conditions’.
ALSO READ: Trump tells Sánchez he’s doing a ‘fantastic job’ – days after suggesting Spain should be thrown out of NATO.
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The FMC is considering fines, entry bans, and cargo restrictions on Spanish shipping after #Spain denied access to multiple US-flagged vessels, including those operated under the US Maritime Security Program.#WorldCargoNews #containershipping #maritimehttps://t.co/Z7fXeTLRQU pic.twitter.com/vSBeURtmIa
— WorldCargo News (@WorldCargoNews) December 22, 2025
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