Norwegian-Japanese owned company Gearbulk transports phosphates from occupied Western Sahara to New Zealand. Check out the Norwatch video in this article, documenting the illegal exports.

Gearbulk, a company partially owned by the Jebsen family, ships phosphates from Western Sahara on behalf of the Moroccan occupying authorities. Norwatch can reveal that a Jebsen vessel docks Tuesday in a harbour in New Zealand. This trade is contradictory to discouragement from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Members of parliaments in Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand and at home in Norway are not at all happy with shipowning firm Gearbulk. Aftenposten, 29 June 2007.

A visiting journalist from Western Sahara today appealed for support from New Zealand to block trade supporting the military occupation of his country by Morocco. Pacific Media Centre, New Zealand, 23 July 2007.

PARLIAMENTARIANS from around the globe have joined together to criticise the actions of an Elmbridge company.

PRESS RELEASE: 06/29/2007. This morning, parliamentarians from the UK, Norway, New Zealand and Japan sent a letter to the London-based shipping company Gearbulk. The company profits from the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.

This statement was sent to the Australian radio Pulse Radio, 10 January 2007.

Here is the EU-Moroccan Fisheries Partnership Agreement that was signed in 2006, in several languages.

Letter sent from the Saharawi Arabic Democratic Republic, 16. June 2006.

“In an act of gross hypocrisy the Irish Government last week signed up to a deal between the EU and Morocco to rob the fishing rights of the people of Western Sahara - a nation occupied by Morocco - while at the same time issuing a statement claiming to support the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination”, An Problacht wrote on 1 June 2006.

Sent 1 June 2006. The letter was sent to CEO K. Wester, with copy to A.Jonkman.

Analysis made in 2006 by the French association on the Fisheries Agreement (in French).

Last week, the EU endorsed a fishing deal with Morocco. This wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that the deal includes the coastal waters of Western Sahara, a territory that has been occupied by Morroco for more than thirty years. The Brussels Journal, 25 May 2006.

The UK has said a new European fisheries agreement with Morocco will have to be closely monitored to ensure it does not break international law.

The British Government has been condemned by War on Want and campaign groups from across Europe today for supporting a Fisheries Agreement that will allow European ships to fish off the coast of illegally occupied Western Sahara, despite claims that this violates international law. Sweden stood alone in opposing the Agreement though Finland, the Netherlands and Ireland conditioned their support with a statement that the Agreement should benefit the “local population” of Western Sahara. Press release by War on Want, 22 May 2006.

EU governments have given final approval to a deal that will allow European trawlers to catch fish along Morocco's Atlantic coast. 

Interview with the UN's former legal chief, Hans Corell. Swedish Radio, Eko, 22 May 2006