PRO-PALESTINIAN Australians took to the waters in kayaks to block Zim containership as it was arriving in Melbourne, reported Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.

The same group has been disrupting port activities since November claiming that they were interrupting shipments heading to Israel.

The latest protest saw a group in kayaks attempting to block the path of the Liberian flagged 4,254-TEU Vela as it entered Yarra River to the container terminal.

The vessel is owned by Costamare of Greece, was arriving from Sydney.

While the protestors claim to be interrupting shipments of war supplies to Israel, the vessel is deployed on Zim's Australia Express service running between Korea, China and Australia.

The vessel denied it was carrying arms but "consumer products such as white goods, textiles and food stuffs."

The protestors blocked a six-lane highway leading to the port causing traffic jams around the city. The police said about 40 people had blocked the roads for up to four hours with individuals gluing their hands to the payment.

They locked themselves in cars or chained themselves to concrete barriers. Nine people were arrested and charged with being a public nuisance and obstructing a roadway.

Source: Schednet