An Yue Jiang
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name: | An Yue Jiang |
| Operator: | COSCO |
| Port of registry: |
Guangzhou,  People's Republic of China
|
| Builder: | Guangzhou International Shipyard, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China |
| Completed: | 1986 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 8414946 Call sign: BOAS MMSI number: 412027000 |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | General cargo ship |
| Tonnage: | 11,115 GT 14,913 DWT |
| Length: | 150 m (490 ft) |
| Beam: | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Draft: | 9.4 m (31 ft) |
An Yue Jiang (Chinese: 安岳江, Hanyu Pinyin: Ān Yuè Jiāng) is a People's Republic of China container vessel operated by the state-run shipping firm COSCO. In 2008, it became notable because of controversy surrounding a cargo of arms and ammunition destined for Zimbabwe. The cargo reportedly includes some 3 million rounds of small arms ammunition, 1,500 rocket propelled grenades, and 2,500 mortar rounds. The vessel originally planned to dock at the South African port of Durban and unload its cargo for shipment to landlocked Zimbabwe. However, there were widespread protests by persons concerned that the arms would be used by Robert Mugabe's regime in suppressing political opposition in the wake of disputed elections. Dock workers stated that they would not unload the cargo, and others threatened to stop the shipment on South African roads. Finally, a South African judge ruled that the ship could not dock as planned.
Subsequently, the An Yue Jiang remained in the area of the Cape of Good Hope, pending a rumored decision by the Chinese to recall the ship. It was then announced that the ship would proceed to Angola, where it would be allowed to dock but only to unload cargo destined for Angola itself.
On April 14, 2008 the scrutiny committee of South Africa's National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) approved the shipment's conveyance permit, although it said shipment still had to be inspected and approved by the NCACC. According to South African government spokesperson Themba Maseko, the government was not going to prevent the shipment from being transported to Zimbabwe.
Critics suggested that the South African government would have been acting irresponsibly or even aiding the Zimbabwean government by letting the shipment through. The issue compounded the dissatisfaction felt by many critics of the Zimbabwean government regarding South Africa's nonconfrontational approach to dealing with Mugabe, exemplified by Mbeki's claim that the post-election situation was not a crisis. However, on April 17, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) said that members of the union would not unload the ship or handle its cargo.
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