The HC Opal is in the eastern Mediterranean. The vessel, still sailing under the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, is believed to be carrying military supplies, including explosives and rocket parts and fuses, destined for use by Israel in its ongoing genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in the illegally occupied Gaza Strip.
After it was alerted to the cargo on board the HC Opal, Antigua and Barbuda issued a directive confirming that it is “strictly prohibited for any vessel registered under the Antigua and Barbuda flag to carry arms, ammunition, or other military equipment intended for delivery to, or use in, a conflict zone” and that a vessel in “breach of this prohibition is liable to be detained at the request of the Administration in a foreign port for removal of prohibited cargo, at the owners expense.” Antigua and Barbuda said in such cases it will also deflag the vessel and take other legal action. This directive responds to calls from Caribbean civil society and the BDS movement for Antigua and Barbuda to fulfill its legal obligations under international law in halting any illegal transfer of military supplies destined for use in Israel’s genocidal violence.
Mahmoud Nawaja’a, General Coordinator of the Palestinian BDS National committee:
“The BDS movement applauds the unequivocal position taken by Antigua and Barbuda upholding its legal obligations under international law. We remain concerned and encourage Antigua and Barbuda to do their best to stop the vessel from delivering the illegal military materiel it is credibly suspected of carrying.
“We call for civil society and grassroots pressure on other complicit states, namely; Germany, India, Norway, Denmark and potentially Cyprus to follow the precedent set by Antigua and Barbuda and comply with international law by verifying the HC Opal’s cargo and halting any illegal transfer of the military supplies destined for use in Israel’s genocidal violence. This includes seeking accountability against the captain of HC Opal, the vessel’s owner International Maritime Management (Imm) and the vessel’s operator Ocean 7 Project.”
Maritime experts of the No Harbour for Genocide initiative alert:
“Since Antigua and Barbuda issued its directive, the HC Opal has turned off its AIS, with its last known position in the east of the Mediterranean Sea heading towards Israeli ports. This "going dark" is in violation of the obligations under international maritime conventions, including obligations under the jurisdiction of Antigua and Barbuda. While these actions might mask public scrutiny on movement of the vessel, it strengthens the case of holding the captain, operators and owners of the HC Opal accountable in the delivery of military material.”
The law leaves no doubt: Transfers of military materiel to Israel while it plausibly commits genocide, perpetrates apartheid, and continues its illegal occupation are prohibited. As top legal experts confirm, flag states, coastal states as well as all those states that don’t take action while corporations under their jurisdiction engage in illegal military transfers to Israel, are to be held accountable for their involvement in these crimes.
Based on information the BDS movement has received from a credible source, the HC Opal is believed to be carrying at least 23 containers of military materiel destined for use by Israel in its genocide against Palestinians in direct violation of the Genocide Convention and the orders of the International Court of Justice.
“All of this cargo is in fact raw material for making artillery shells and air-to-surface bombs. A single MK84 bomb can level a whole residential building, killing entire Palestinian families. Many of these bombs fail to explode, and the Israeli forces are in need of detonators to enhance the lethality of their weapons.” explained Dr. Shir Hever, Military Embargo Campaign Coordinator with the BDS movement.
“After Israel quickly ran out of ammunition and as it is facing a growing military embargo, the Israeli government ordered Israel’s arms companies to establish domestic production lines for shells and bombs – for this purpose they need the raw materials which are brought by the HC Opal,” he continued.
These containers reportedly include:
- 1 container UN 0072 / 1.1D
UN 0072 class 1.1D: Cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, wetted or Cyclonite, wetted or Hexogen, wetted or RDX, wetted with not less than 15 percent water by mass
- 1 container UN 0042 / 1.1D
UN 0042 class 1.1D: Boosters, without detonator
- 2 containers UN 0107 / 1.2B
UN 0107 class 1.2B: Fuzes, detonating
- 7 containers UN 0186 / 1.3C
UN 0186 class 1.3C: Rocket motors
- At least 12 containers UN 0209 / 1.1D
UN 0209 class 1.1D: Trinitrotoluene or TNT, dry or wetted with less than 30 percent water, by mass