South African dockers had refused to unload the arsenal of small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.
The Durban high court ruled that the shipment could not be dispatched north across the border into Zimbabwe.
Several hours later, the An Yue Jiang weighed anchor and left Durban harbour, reportedly headed for Mozambique.
The court ruling followed an application brought with the support of the South African Litigation Centre under legislation prohibiting the supply of arms to "governments that systematically violate, or oppress ... human rights and fundamental freedoms".
The director of the centre, Nicole Fritz, said: "It is hard to imagine clearer circumstances in which South African authorities were obliged to refuse to grant any conveyance permit."
The Congress of South African Trade Unions said the vessel "must return to China with the arms on board, as South Africa cannot be seen to be facilitating the flow of weapons into Zimbabwe at a time where there is a political dispute and a volatile situation".
The Durban high court ruled that the shipment could not be dispatched north across the border into Zimbabwe.
Several hours later, the An Yue Jiang weighed anchor and left Durban harbour, reportedly headed for Mozambique.
The court ruling followed an application brought with the support of the South African Litigation Centre under legislation prohibiting the supply of arms to "governments that systematically violate, or oppress ... human rights and fundamental freedoms".
The director of the centre, Nicole Fritz, said: "It is hard to imagine clearer circumstances in which South African authorities were obliged to refuse to grant any conveyance permit."
The Congress of South African Trade Unions said the vessel "must return to China with the arms on board, as South Africa cannot be seen to be facilitating the flow of weapons into Zimbabwe at a time where there is a political dispute and a volatile situation".
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