Houthis Deny Plans to Impose Transit Tariffs on Vessels Passing Through Bab al-Mandab Strait
Sanaa (ANTARA) - The Houthi group in Yemen on Saturday (1/8) denied reports claiming they plan to impose tariffs on commercial ships traversing the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group revealed that navigation through this strategic waterway remains free of charge.
In a press statement, the Houthi-managed Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre (HOCC) stated that no decision has been made, nor is any being considered, to implement transit tariffs. The HOCC stated that the ‘Safe Passage’ service it provides is voluntary and free. This service provides prior confirmation to ships that are not targets of the maritime embargo imposed by the group, allowing them to sail safely through the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea.
The HOCC added that shipping companies seeking such guarantees may register with the centre, further emphasising that ships not affected by their embargo can pass without the need for registration.
The HOCC also warned shipping companies against providing money or information to unauthorised individuals or entities claiming to represent the centre. “Any individual or entity requesting payment in exchange for passage through the Bab al-Mandab Strait does not represent this centre,” the HOCC stated.
This statement comes amid rising concerns regarding maritime security in the region following the Houthi announcement on 20 July regarding a ban on ships linked to Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea. The group described this policy as a response to an alleged Saudi blockade of Houthi-controlled territories in Yemen.
The Bab al-Mandab Strait serves as a crucial maritime chokepoint connecting the Gulf of Aden to the southern end of the Red Sea, acting as an irreplaceable artery for global energy shipments and international trade to and from the Suez Canal.
Yemen has been embroiled in conflict since late 2014, when the Houthi group seized Sanaa, the nation’s capital, and much of northern Yemen, triggering an intervention by a Saudi-led coalition in 2015 to support the internationally recognised Yemeni government.