As the conflict in Yemen continues to impact shipping and dangerous sea areas and changes in the operational status of ports may occur at any time, the NorthStandard provides updates received from correspondents and advises to contact local agents for the latest advice should you have a vessel trading to Yemen.
As of November 23rd, 2023, GAC Yemen Ltd. advised that following the hijacking of the GALAXY LEADER approximately 50nm from the coast of Hodeida, the status of ports remain unchanged.
GAC further advised that there are no notifications from official authorities regarding any change in sailing conditions in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aden.
The United States Maritime Administration have issued alert ‘2023-005A-Red Sea-Hijacking’ which states:
”The Bahamian flagged M/V GALAXY LEADER was hijacked approximately 50 miles west of Hodeida, Yemen in the Red Sea on November 19, 2023. See UKMTO-IO 446 and subsequent warnings under Recent Incidents at www.ukmto.org. Exercise caution when transiting this area. U.S. commercial vessels operating in this area should review U.S. Maritime Advisory 2023-011 (Threats to Commercial Vessels – Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab al Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, and Somali Basin) for amplifying information and points of contact. This Alert will automatically expire on November 26, 2023.”
Port status advised as follows:
Open/operational ports:
- Aden
- Rudhum Oil Exporting Terminal
- Mukalla
- Ash Shihr Oil Exporting Terminal
- Nishtun
- Hodeidah
- Mokha
- Saleef
- Ras Isa Petroleum Products Reception Facility
Closed ports:
- Balhaf LNG Terminal
- Ras Isa Marine Terminal
Whilst the 14-day quarantine period for COVID-19 no longer applies at Yemeni ports, ship’s crew are advised to take the necessary precautions against malaria and other diseases carried by mosquitoes.
On arrival at a port’s anchorage, the port health authority will board and examine all crew member’s health and condition, after this inspection the port health should give a permission in writing to the port authority to allow the ship to berth, the NorthStandard mentions on the update.
