Rijnvliet

The ' Rijnvliet', which was suspected of transporting weapons to Israel, coming from Wilmington, North Carolina, has switched off its AIS. The vessel likely arrived in the port of Haifa on March 16, 2026, carrying bomb and cartridge casings. Initially Haifa was listed as the destination, but this was changed to Limassol. The ship’s position has not been updated since March 15, raising further questions. Such “ghost destinations” are sometimes used to avoid scrutiny or restrictions from countries that may block arms shipments to Israel. The ship’s owner, Hartel Shipping and Chartering, took its website offline shortly after the findings were published. The European Legal Support Center warned the ship’s insurer that it could face liability for facilitating potential war crimes, though no sanctions currently prohibit such shipments. According to international law, the Netherlands may be held responsible for activities on ships flying its flag. Experts say governments must prevent arms transfers if there is a risk they could be used in violations of humanitarian law.