Bahri ships transport armaments and military vehicles from the United States, Canada, and Europe towards the Middle East, mainly for Saudi Arabia and UAE armies. It’s a well-known story that has been featured by newspapers and TV channels as well. Between May and June, Bahri’s shipments were blocked and/or protested against in Le Havre, Genoa, and Marseille, while on other occasions port workers blocked military vehicles from being loaded on board. As far as we know, since then, Bahri ships no longer transited in northern European ports apart from Genoa, where they nevertheless stopped loading any military equipment.

This was made possible by the port workers’ mobilization and those who protested with them, in France and Italy alike.

Last year a similar mobilization forced Bahri to leave Bilbao’s port. Regardless, Bahri ships keep transporting arms, explosives, and military vehicles especially designated for Yemen’s mass slaughter, even when they don’t dock in our ports.

A few days ago Bahri Abha returned to Spain in the port of Sagunto, where it loaded 8 containers of explosives destined to the UAE, also involved in the war in Yemen. Local mobilizations attempted to stop the loading but were neutralized by Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil. The Abha has now arrived in Genoa, met with the usual deployment of Police and Carabinieri at the port entrance, and Digos inside the Terminal. Four-wheeled armored vehicles with turret and gun have been spotted on board, likely to be light armored vehicles (LAV) coming from Canada, produced by General Dynamics. Many workers do not want to be in this situation for security reasons, and many refuse to be a part of the global war machine. Today some dockers broke into a meeting between port employers and authorities to declare their firm stance against this state of things. If war does not leave our port the consequences, in the first place economic, will be felt by everyone. We will not tolerate Genova becoming a refueling stop in the war trade that causes death and misery for millions worldwide. If our bosses don’t want to lose the order and the workdays, let them show us the loading plans, we have asked for months to make them public. Let them prove it to us that we’re wrong and Sagunto’s dockers are wrong. Will they bring the ships elsewhere? Other comrades and workers will have to carry on the fight. Everyone must do their part.

Let’s close our ports to war