Recently, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) of the United States stated that Spain's port access restrictions on related to Israel may violate U.S. shipping laws, prompting the Commission to consider fines, port bans, and other penalty measures.

The FMC has upgraded its investigation Spain's port access restrictions, confirming that the Spanish authorities are still enforcing a policy that has, since November 2024, prohibited at least three U.S.flagged vessels from entering Spanish ports, and these measures remain in effect to this day.

The scope of the expanded investigation goes beyond the FMC's preliminary investigation in of last year, currently focusing on Spain's ongoing denial of port access to vessels carrying goods to and from Israel, as well as the broader impact of these actions on U.. foreign trade.

"Based on the information currently available, the Spanish laws, regulations, policies, or practices adopted, followed, or enforced appear to be likely to create or particularly adverse conditions for the shipping industry in U.S. foreign commerce," the Commission stated in its latest update.

The FMC is currently weighing potential enforcement actions including restrictions on cargo, a ban on Spanish-flagged vessels entering U.S. ports, or fines of up to $2.3 million per voyage.

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This investigation originated from an incident in November 2024, when the Spanish authorities denied the entry of two U.S.-flagged vessels, theMaersk Denver” and the “Maersk Seletar,” both operated by Maersk, into Spanish ports after they departed New York.

The FCM emphasized that no final determination has been made and stated that any action would be guided by its statutory duties and the record of evidence. The Commission has also solicited public comments on this and welcomes relevant parties to submit information through the Federal Register from December 22, 2025.