The 8,000-dwt Kathrin (built in 2010) departed from Vietnam’s Hai Phong port on 21 July. Calls for international intervention have grown, with Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, urging nations to prevent the ship from unloading its cargo.
As the Kathrin approached Malta, it requested permission to change its crew. However, according to local reports from Malta Today, Transport Malta has denied entry, citing the sensitive nature of the situation. Despite this, AIS tracking data shows the vessel anchored off the island on Tuesday after arriving the previous day.
Albanese has been vocal in her appeal to the Maltese government, emphasizing the country’s historical support for Palestine. She stated, "At a time when Israel is committing acts of genocide against the Palestinians, states must uphold the Genocide Convention by not allowing arms transfers to parties involved in armed conflict."
According to Albanese, the ship’s eight containers of explosives contain key components for bombs and missiles reportedly used by Israel in its military actions. Transport Malta has confirmed that all service requests by the ship have been rejected.
Amnesty International also recently urged Montenegro to refuse docking permission for the Kathrin, expressing concern that the cargo could contribute to war crimes in Gaza and Lebanon. Portugal’s foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, acknowledged the cargo contains explosives destined for Israel, sparking discussions within the Portuguese government over possibly withdrawing the ship's flag.
The Kathrin has faced multiple port denials, including being refused entry to Namibia in August. The vessel is operated by Lubeca Marine, a Germany-based company, which has not yet commented on the matter.