Investigation: MSC Global Linked to Transport of Settlement Goods to International Markets

A joint investigative report by media sources in cooperation with the Palestinian Youth Movement has revealed the involvement of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), ranked as the world’s largest shipping company, in the transport of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Syrian Golan Heights to international markets, raising concerns among rights groups and legal experts about complicity in the settlement economy.

Documents obtained by media outlets in cooperation with the Palestinian Youth Movement show that the Swiss-based company, controlled by Italian businessman Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela, shipped at least 957 consignments from settlement outposts between January and November 2025. Shipments were bound largely for the United States, with a significant portion transiting through European ports, including those in Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

Settlement Goods and International Trade

According to the report, European ports served as key transit hubs for settlement products, despite international restrictions and warnings that trade involving settlements may violate international law. Experts cited in the investigation argue that such economic activity grants illegal settlements economic legitimacy and contributes to sustaining the occupation.

Shipping manifests showed deliveries to companies operating within major settlement areas, such as Ma’ale Adumim and the Barkan Industrial Zone. Some listed businesses are tied to industries on global blacklists for alleged involvement in exploiting natural resources in occupied territories.

Legal and Human Rights Concerns

Legal analysts referenced the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the transfer of economic benefits linked to occupied territory infrastructure. A 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice emphasized that states and organizations are obliged to prevent commercial activities that support the continuation of illegal settlements — a stance reinforced by critics who argue that international shipping firms have a responsibility to halt such operations.

While MSC maintains that it operates within global shipping norms and continues partnerships with Israeli carriers such as ZIM, human rights advocates contend that participation in this trade undermines international law and fuels ongoing conflict dynamics.

European authorities face pressure to enforce bans on imports of settlement goods, yet the continued use of European ports as transit points highlights the challenge of translating policy into practice. U.S. markets remain major destinations, creating a complex web of commercial links at odds with growing calls for accountability and respect for international humanitarian standards.