A cargo ship flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda has come under renewed scrutiny after it reportedly disabled its tracking system while sailing toward Israeli waters.
The website marinetraffic.com shows that the vessel is currently “out of range” which means that its Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals —a mandatory safety feature that allows authorities and other vessels to track its location and cargo in real time.
The ship’s last location update was almost three days ago, when the vessel departed from Chennai, India, in early April headed towards Larnaca, Cyprus at 10.8 kn.
The HC Opal, managed by Danish firm Ocean 7 Project and owned by German company International Maritime Management (IMM), is suspected of carrying 23 containers of military-grade cargo—including explosives, rocket motors, and detonators—believed to be bound for Israel.
According to the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which first raised the alarm, shortly after entering the main maritime traffic lane leading to Israeli ports, the ship turned off its Automatic Identification System (AIS).
It said the shutdown occurred just days after the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Marine Services and Merchant Shipping (ADOMS) issued a reminder that any Antigua-flagged vessel is banned from transporting arms to conflict zones.
BDS notes that the HC Opal’s decision to “go dark” violates the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, which mandates AIS usage for ships of its size. The group claims the ship is carrying cargo intended to bolster Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip—a claim that, if substantiated, would place the vessel in direct violation of the Genocide Convention and other international humanitarian laws.
Earlier this week, ADOMS confirmed that it has launched an investigation and warned that any vessel in violation of the arms prohibition risks de-registration under the Merchant Shipping Act 2006. The BDS movement applauded what it called “the unequivocal position” taken by Antigua and Barbuda upholding its legal obligations under international law. “We remain concerned and ask Antigua and Barbuda to do their best to stop the vessel from delivering the illegal military materiel it is credibly suspected of carrying.”
The issue comes amid growing global pressure to halt arms transfers to Israel. In recent months, countries such as Malaysia, Namibia, and Turkiye have implemented strict embargoes, and in January 2025, The Hague Group—a coalition of Global South states—called for coordinated legal action against states and companies complicit in alleged war crimes in Gaza.
