Shipping agency guilty of violating arms trade decree

10 February 2026

A Flemish shipping agency has been found guilty of violating the arms trade decree after a vessel transported arms via Antwerp to Saudi Arabia for use in the war in Yemen. The company has been fined 120,000 euros and members of staff have been given suspended prison terms.

The case against United Antwerp Maritime Agencies (Unamar) began with a civil party complaint by the Forum for Peace Action. A ship belonging to a Saudi shipping company specialising in military transport arrived at the port of Antwerp in 2020. According to the Forum for Peace Action, it was carrying material from the US to Saudi Arabia, to be used for the war in Yemen. Unamar acted as the company's agent.

The federal public prosecutor launched an investigation and eventually brought Unamar and three staff members involved before the Dendermonde court.

Wallonia blocked Swiss military shipment to Israel at Liège Airport

A shipment of equipment from Switzerland to Israel was intercepted at Liège Airport last month, as it was military in nature. This was first...

belganewsagency.eu

According to the prosecutor’s office, violations of Flanders’ arms trade decree were committed, such as ignoring the licence requirement. “They facilitated the transit of war material to Saudi Arabia through the port of Antwerp,” the office said. “They knew that a licence had to be applied for and that the transport contained military material. So they knowingly did not comply with the decree.”

The defence maintained that their clients had done nothing illegal.

The judge ruled on Tuesday that Unamar would be fined 120,000 euros. Two staff members were given suspended prison sentences of 10 and 12 months and a fine of 40,000 euros.

^{#FlandersNewsService | © The Saudi-backed Yemeni Army in Hadramaut, 5 February 2026 © PHOTO MOHAMMED DAHER / ABACAPRESS.COM}

Related news