Gulf Agency Co Ltd, our correspondents in Yemen, has provided us with the following information:
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Current status of the Yemeni Red Sea ports
This is to advise you that all Yemeni ports are operational in a normal manner. This excludes Ash Shihr oil terminal, Balhaf LNG terminal and Ras Isa oil terminal, which are still closed. Ships need to be cleared by the coalition before they are allowed into Yemeni ports.
According to unofficial information from the Port of Mukalla, foreign ships used to call at the Port of Mukalla without permission from the Coalition. This has changed now. Foreign ships were ordered today to leave port/anchorage area if they are not in a possession of a permission from the Coalition.
Update:
Apparently, the Saudi-led Coalition allowed ships to return to the Hodeidah port anchorage area and to berth at port. Today’s Hodeidah Port Position shows that six ships are working cargo at berths, five ships are at anchorage waiting for berth and 26 ships are expected. Please, see attached Hodeidah port position as per 09/03/2016.
Entry information to the Yemeni territorial waters:
Any vessel calling Yemeni ports should obtain entry permission from the Ministry of Transport through the ships agent or receivers, before the vessel’s arrival to Bab Al-Mandab.
There is an official order from the legitimate Yemeni Government to the naval forces of the Saudi Arabian coalition to stop all ships calling the Yemeni ports for compulsory inspection before entry.
Currently the naval forces of the Saudi Arabian coalition have arrested few vessels at Bab Al Mandab for inspection as they did not obtain the entry permission to the Yemeni ports. Therefore please note that ships will be allowed for call and to enter to the Yemeni territorial waters only after being inspected by the naval forces of the Saudi Arabian coalition. The attached form should be completed by ship’s master and sent directly to the Ministry of Transport on the E-mail address: Yemen.transport@gmail.com and should continue sending reminders until arriving outside Bab Al-Mandab in order to get the entry permission. Alternately, the form can also be sent by the cargo receivers who should then follow up until the ship arrives outside Bab Al-Mandab.
Once the vessel arrives outside Bab Al-Mandab, the Master should call the naval forces of the Saudi Arabian coalition by VHF on channel 16 for the arrival registration and indicate his location which should ideally be 3 miles from Bab Al Mandab in order to obtain entry approval to the Yemeni territorial waters. Thereafter they will advise the ship’s master on the anchor position until the provide final approval to enter the port. This procedure will not take more than 48 hours.
They do not conduct investigation with the crew; but all contact will be with the ship’s master or Chief Officer about the cargo and documents. The Master should advise them that he is awaiting permission number and further instructions.
Once the vessel is allowed to enter Yemeni ports, she will be required to call once again to the port control by VHF on channel 14 or 16 for the arrival registration and thereafter he will be advised the anchor position until berthing prospects are confirmed by the Harbour master.
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