On the eve of media reports about ship registration… Yemen confirms continued free passage through Bab Al-Mandeb

Yemen reaffirmed on Saturday that it has not imposed fees on crossing Bab Al-Mandeb, a day after reports about the start of registration for ships wishing to continue their journeys through the vital Gulf strait.

Exclusive – Al-Khabar Al-Yemeni:

The Sana’a Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center renewed its call to all shipping companies and ship owners not to respond to any financial demands or provide data to parties not authorized by the Yemeni forces.

The center affirmed in a statement that any person or party requesting money or a fee for a transit permit does not represent the government in any capacity, reiterating that passage remains free.

Sana’a’s repeated denial of imposing fees came on the eve of reports about arrangements to coordinate the passage of ships through Bab Al-Mandeb.

Saudi media and others funded by it published claims that the Yemeni forces were requesting ships to register with them to secure their passage through Bab Al-Mandeb.

Registration, if confirmed, may relate to safety procedures only, especially given the dense navigational traffic in the strait as Yemen continues to impose its naval blockade on Saudi navigation and target its ships.

The repeated denial was considered confirmation that Yemen doesn’t wish to impose any fees, at least in the foreseeable future.