Key Bay appears at Las Palmas horizon
Article image

The vessel carrying fish oil from occupied Western Sahara into the EU is at present entering the harbour of Las Palmas.

Published 14 January 2017

UPDATE, 15 Jan 2017: The vessel has left Las Palmas, and is set to arrive Fécamp, France on 20 Jan 2017 at 5PM.

The Key Bay is on its way to Fécamp, France, and is stopping over in Las Palmas. A small motor boat left the port at 15:05 and went out to meet the Key Bay. The small vessel had the word "Practicos" written on it, probably belonging to Practicos del Puerto de La Luz y Las Palmas

It is the first time since the landmark Judgment of the EU Court of Justice, concluding that EU Trade and Association Agreements with Morocco do not apply to Western Sahara, that WSRW observes a transport of fish oil from the occupied territory into the EU.

EQUO, Spanish Green party, has issued a press release demanding the port authorities to seize the vessel. EQUO's deputy in Las Palmas, Pilar Álvarez, is in the port. She states that "if the certificate of origin says Morocco and not the Frente Polisario, we will ask for the arrest of the ship and its cargo for violating the judgment of the EU Court of Justice."

Download video

 

Download
Download.
Download
Download.
Download.


The small motor boat that came to meet Key Bay:

Download.



 

Another company of the Moroccan king involved in occupied Western Sahara

A company closely linked to Morocco’s royal business network has entered a new project in occupied Western Sahara, partnering with a Chinese state-owned electricity giant on high-voltage infrastructure in Boujdour.

10 September 2026

Don't let resource exploitation decide Western Sahara's future

Western Sahara Resource Watch calls on the UN to address the accelerating exploitation of the territory’s natural resources - and prevent it from becoming an even greater obstacle to self-determination. 

08 September 2026

Occupied Western Sahara wind complex expands into Africa's top three

The Moroccan king’s energy company appears to have completed two new phases of the Aftissat wind power complex in occupied Western Sahara.

11 August 2026

Dirty green energy on occupied land

How can it be wrong to develop renewable energy, in a world that is in desperate need for a green transition? In Western Sahara, the problems are numerous.

06 August 2026