A merchant vessel believed to be carrying explosives and bound for Israel that was banned from Maltese waters has switched flags to Germany and is now on a course away from Malta.

The MV (motor vessel) Kathrin was banned from entering Maltese waters earlier this month after Moviment Graffitti said allowing it entry would make the government complicit in the ongoing “genocide” in Palestine.

A Transport Malta spokesperson said the authority was informed about the flag change but had not been involved due to the change taking place outside of the country's territorial waters.

“Maltese authorities do not have jurisdiction over flag changes, as the vessel was originally flagged under Portugal (Madeira). Thus, no approval from Malta was sought as it was not needed,” he said.

The spokesperson said the vessel had been denied a “change of captain or crew inspection aboard the vessel” before directing further enquiries to German authorities.

He added the vessel had "made a number of requests to Maltese authorities which were all denied.”

According to maritime tracking website Marine Traffic, the 130-metre cargo ship is currently heading away from Malta in a north-easterly direction on a course that would take it close to Sicily’s eastern coast – a position it held earlier this month.

The ship is heading out of Malta in a north-easterly direction. Photo: marinetraffic.com.

The Kathrin hit the headlines in August after Namibian authorities revoked permission for the vessel to enter one of its ports after reportedly learning it was carrying explosives bound for Israel.

Later that month, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that eight containers onboard the ship contained explosives that are “reportedly key components in the aircraft bombs and missiles that Israel is deploying against besieged Gaza”.

She added that she was “extremely concerned” by the vessel flying under a Portuguese flag, something she said could be considered a “breach of the Genocide Convention”.

Albanese this month urged the Maltese government, which "regularly took a principled stand on Palestine", to act and stop the vessel from entering its waters. 

Earlier this month, Amnesty International called on Slovenia, Montenegro and Portugal to not allow the ship to dock at their ports, “given the clear risk that such cargo would contribute to the commission of war crimes in Gaza.”

Meanwhile, when asked about an apparent slump in support for Israel around the world during an interview last week, the country’s ambassador to Malta Ze’ev Boker told Times of Malta his country recognised the importance of preserving international support, which had “naturally” declined during the war.

He said international audiences were less exposed to “suffering from the Israeli side” than they were to the experiences of those in Gaza, however.

Responding to allegations of war crimes, the ambassador acknowledged that while such accusations represented a “challenge” for Israel, each country had the “right to investigate itself” under international law.