Latest findings confirm that the MSC Israel-bound shipment consisting of eight containers of military-grade alloy steel has already been discharged at Abu Qir port in Egypt and is currently awaiting onward transshipment, scheduled for 8 April 2026, and may be subject to change.
Involvement in any aspect of the delivery of military materiel to Israel while it perpetrates a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, not to mention its decades of military occupation and apartheid, may constitute a serious violation of international law, including the Genocide Convention
The steel originates from R L Steels & Energy Limited (Aurangabad, India) and is consigned to Banyan Group International (Israel), a company that operates as a procurement intermediary for the Israeli military sector. Available data, trade and customs information, and previous shipping patterns indicate that the ultimate destination of these materials is the weapons manufacturing facilities of IMI Systems (Elbit Systems Land) in Ramat Hasharon — Israel’s principal ammunition manufacturer, whose production is exclusively military with no civilian output
The cargo, which was transported aboard the MSC Danit from Nhava Sheva, India, was offloaded at the Egyptian port of Abu Qir on March 23rd. Based on established routing patterns and available scheduling data, the shipment is expected to be transported on from Egyptian territory, with current information indicating that it is due to be loaded onto the Valor on around 8 April. Reviewed evidence, including shipping, customs and trade data, indicates that the shipment in question was discharged in Egypt and is ultimately bound for Israel.
Multiple consignments of alloy steel are currently being transshipped through Mediterranean ports as part of a two-vessel routing pattern operated by MSC: one vessel transports the cargo from India to the Mediterranean, and a second vessel carries the containers onward to Israel.
This shipment is part of a broader series of consignments of at least four shipments routed through Mediterranean ports. As of the time of writing, three of these four shipments—originating from India and linked to the same supply chain—have been held for investigation by Italian authorities. There have also been other actions against these shipments, with Spain refusing permission to dock to one of the vessels involved, and port workers in Greece refusing to unload suspected containers. The remaining shipment - Shipment 3 - on the MSC Danit has also drawn political scrutiny, including parliamentary questioning in Portugal following its call at Sines. It nevertheless reached Abu Qir and if no action is taken by the Egyptian authorities, it is expected to be transferred on, ultimately to arms manufacturers in genocidal Israel.
Notably, and under public pressure, MSC has repeatedly altered routes and schedules, shifting the shipment across ports in Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and ultimately Egypt. However, independent data points consistently confirm that Shipment 3 was transported aboard the MSC Danit and discharged at Abu Qir port in Egypt.
Based on available analysis, the total volume of steel in the four identified shipments could produce an estimated 13,000 155mm artillery shells. These 155mm shells can be loaded with different warheads, including conventional explosives, cluster munitions and white phosphorus. Israel has been using such shells extensively in bombing Palestinians in densely populated areas in Gaza. In just the first seven weeks of the genocide, for instance, Israel fired over 90,000 artillery shells into Gaza concentration camp.
In response to the BDS call urging pressure on Egyptian authorities to prevent the MSC Danit—reportedly loaded with military-grade steel—from using Egyptian ports to deliver these materials to Israel, Egyptian Minister of Information Dia’ Rashwan has stated rhetorically that port operations comply with international maritime agreements, without addressing the evidence to the contrary. There is no confirmation yet of any attempt by the Egyptian authorities, for example, to even investigate this suspected military shipment bound for Israel. At the same time, a formal legal request has been submitted to the public prosecutor calling for the suspension of the transshipment, citing Egypt’s obligations under international law.
Given these findings, Egypt is obligated—pursuant to the UN Charter, the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, and the laws of war as set out in the Geneva Conventions—to avoid any direct or indirect involvement that could contribute to supporting Israeli international crimes, including genocide, crimes against humanity (such as apartheid), and unlawful military occupation.
Allowing the docking and reloading of the military shipment bound for Israel constitutes a clear violation of rulings and positions issued over the past two years by the International Court of Justice, the UN General Assembly Resolution on September 18 2024, which Egypt voted for, and the International Criminal Court regarding Israel’s commission of international crimes.
In line with the will of the Egyptian people—along with its unions, political forces and civil society —and consistent with Egypt’s moral and legal obligations as a state (as detailed here), we continue to call for increased pressure on Egyptian authorities to act: to immediately investigate such shipments, obstruct its transhipment, and to implement greater public transparency, and to impose rigorous due diligence measures to halt the flow of military supplies to Israel through Egypt.
Annexes
Annex A: The Ditch investigative report on prior military cargo shipment including steel from R L Steels & Energy Limited to IMI Systems and Elbit Systems (December 2024) — ontheditch.com/eu-registered-ship/
Annex B:
Top experts of the Law of the Sea confirm: Coastal and flag states have an obligation to stop complicity in illegal maritime transfers for Israel