The Chinese arms ship carrying arms for Zimbabwe is currently south of Port Elizabeth, outside South African territorial waters, said the International Transport Workers Federation on Wednesday.

Spokesperson Sam Dawson said the An Yue Jiang was heading to China via the Indian Ocean.

"It looks like it's heading home but the other option it has is to dock at a Mozambican port," Dawson said.

Dawson said it could take weeks for the ship reach China. The ship lifted anchor and sailed from Durban less than an hour after the Durban High Court on 18 April ordered that its controversial cargo could not be transported across South Africa to Zimbabwe.

The An Yue Jiang was carrying six containers of ammunition for AK-47 assault rifles, mortars and grenade launchers to landlocked Zimbabwe, from where reports of violence by ruling party faithful against civilians in the wake of March elections are pouring in.

The An Yue Jiang is a general cargo ship built in 1986, and sails under the Chinese flag. It has a crew of 28 Chinese seafarers, a gross tonnage of 11 115 tons, and is owned by the China Ocean Shipping Company.

Sapa