Israel claims the weapons in the March shipment were bound for Hamas. CMA CGM said it was a victim of false transport documentation from the sender.
Leading US Republican congressmen are urging the the US Treasury Department to consider sanctions against the world’s third-largest container shipping company – France’s CMA CGM – for possible violations of sanctions on Iran that entail significant instances of weapons smuggling, according to letters obtained by The Jerusalem Post.
In March, the CMA CGM operated container ship MV Victoria was seized by the Israel Navy in the Mediterranean and escorted to Ashdod Port. More than 50 tons of weapons from Iran were aboard. They included anti-ship missiles, 3,000 mortar shells and almost 70,000 rounds of ammunition for machine guns.
“The group is working closely with the responsible authorities in the fight against illegal transports,” CMA CGM wrote in a statement to the Post.
“CMA CGM was, like other important world-wide shipping companies, a victim of false transport documentation from the sender, and with help of the consignor, CMA CGM was misled about the true nature of the transportation goods.”