Reuters/CCTV. Yemen’s Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), which is set up by the Houthis in Sanaa, issued a statement on Saturday, denying plans to levy transit tolls on most vessels sailing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a vital transit chokepoint connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
In the statement, the HOCC said the safe transit service it provides to vessels are offered at no cost, adding “All vessels outside the scope of the declared ban may transit safely.”
The statement also included an email address for vessels to apply for the safe transit.
The denial comes after the Houthis announced a maritime ban on Saudi shipping on July 20 and warned international shipping companies that vessels trading with Saudi ports could face military attacks.
In a statement released on July 24, a Houthi spokesperson said the Bab al-Mandab Strait had not been closed, and that the recently announced maritime measures were limited to shipping linked to Saudi Arabia.
Located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, the strait facilitates the passage of a significant portion of global trade, including energy supplies.
Նյութերը գեներացվում են տարբեր կայքերից արհեստական բանականության միջոցով