Dockworkers at Italy’s Port of Genoa have blocked a Saudi vessel, Bahri Yanbu, after reportedly discovering it was carrying weapons allegedly bound for Israel.
The ship, operated by Saudi shipping company Bahri, had sailed from Baltimore, Maryland, and was scheduled to load military equipment — including an Oto Melara cannon produced by Italian arms manufacturer Leonardo — for delivery to Abu Dhabi. The cargo was already at the terminal awaiting transfer when workers claimed they found evidence of its intended destination.
Around 40 dockworkers refused to load the shipment, with union member Jose Nivoi of the Autonomous Collective of Port Workers stating, “We don’t work for war.” Local unions warned that allowing arms to reach Israel would make Italy “complicit” in the conflict, and called for a ban on handling weapons destined for war zones. The Port Authority pledged to set up an observatory to monitor potential violations.
This is the latest in a series of similar protests. In 2019, Genoa dockworkers blocked another ship allegedly supplying arms to Israel, while in June this year, French workers at Marseille-Fos port prevented a weapons shipment from departing. Saudi authorities have not commented on the incident, though Riyadh has repeatedly affirmed support for a two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
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