The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission is proposing a $200,000 fee on every Spanish-flagged vessel entering an American port from abroad, alongside potential import restrictions covering $3.1 billion in Spanish goods. The move, announced Wednesday, escalates a dispute that began in November 2024 when Spain refused entry to three U.S.-flagged Maersk vessels over cargo connected to Israel.

The targeted goods span five categories based on 2025 import values: roughly $1.15 billion in oils and fats, $940 million in perfumery and cosmetics, $635 million in ceramics, $271 million in stone products and $139 million in sugar and confectionery. Olive oil alone represented nearly $837 million of the U.S. import bill from Spain last year.

What triggered the FMC's findings?

The conflict started in November 2024, when Spanish authorities denied port access to the U.S.-flagged Maersk Denver and Maersk Seletar, both operated by Maersk Line, Limited. A third vessel, the Maersk Hartford, was also blocked from docking that month, according to the FMC's latest findings.

All three ships participate in the U.S. Maritime Administration's Maritime Security Program, which pays commercially operated U.S.-flagged vessels to remain available for national defense requirements.

After a nearly two-year investigation, the FMC said it found conclusive evidence that Spain's restrictions forced U.S.-flagged vessels to divert and largely abandon Spanish calls. Maersk Line, Limited vessels averaged more than seven calls per month in Spain before November 2024. Much of that traffic has since shifted to Morocco, with Tangier replacing much of the company's previous activity at Algeciras.

The numbers show how complete the retreat has been. The operator's U.S.-flagged fleet made just six calls in Spain during all of 2026, compared with multiple calls each month before the restrictions took effect. The FMC also cited confidential evidence that nearly all vessels enrolled in the Maritime Security Program have stopped calling at Spanish ports.

How does Spain defend itself — and why did the FMC reject it?

Spain maintains its measures comply with Spanish, European Union and international law and apply without discrimination based on vessel flag. The FMC rejected that defense, concluding Spain denied docking privileges to U.S.-flagged vessels outright rather than restricting the discharge of specific cargo.

The regulator said the restrictions undercut the ability of U.S.-flagged ships to compete for cargo moving to and from Spain. They also affect vessels that could be called upon to support U.S. military operations, a point with direct implications for a fleet already subsidized for defense readiness.

What does the proposal change for shippers?

The new rule follows a December 2025 warning in which the FMC said it was weighing fines of up to $2.3 million per voyage, cargo restrictions and possible denial of entry to Spanish-flagged vessels. The Commission has now narrowed the vessel fee to $200,000 per call while specifying the import categories at risk.

The proposal would let the FMC seek help from the Department of Homeland Security to deny entry or detain vessels carrying restricted goods, regardless of flag, or Spanish-flagged vessels that fail to pay the fees. For importers of Spanish olive oil, cosmetics and ceramics, that means supply chains could face disruption even when goods move on non-Spanish hulls.

The FMC acknowledged a limitation: relatively few Spanish-flagged vessels call at U.S. ports, so the fees alone would not fully address the conditions it identified. To close that gap, the Commission proposes authority to raise fees or expand import restrictions if Spain retaliates against U.S. carriers or shippers.

What happens next?

The measures are not final. The FMC will accept public comments for 60 days following publication of the proposed rule in the Federal Register, scheduled for October 15, and it has offered Spain an opportunity for a hearing.

The Commission could restrict all five product categories or adopt narrower measures after consultation. It emphasized the penalties address the shipping conditions created by Spain's port restrictions, not the broader political dispute over military cargo bound for Israel — leaving shippers and carriers watching whether Madrid negotiates, contests the finding at a hearing, or risks an escalating fee regime.