SHIPPING to Yemen is slowing as Saudi-led navy inspections hold up cargoes, depriving the country of desperately needed fuel and food as aid groups warn of famine.
Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies have intervened in March to try to restore Yemen's president to power and roll back the Iranian-allied Houthi forces who now control the capital.
Yemen imports more than 90 per cent of its food, mostly by sea and food is needed as much by Houthi forces as it is by hapless civilians, whose city of Aden is threatened.While Saudi Arabia has managed air strikes its ground forces are not meaningfully engaged, leaving Houthi enemies holding the capital Sana'a with the guns to take the food from those who have it on shore.
Since then, many shipping companies have pulled out. Those still willing to bring cargo face incalculable delays and searches by coalition warships ostensibly hunting for arms for the Houthis.
Around 23 ships, carrying cargoes such as wheat, rice and fuel, waited to discharge at Hodaida and Salif ports along the Red Sea, ship tracking data on Thomson Reuters Eikon showed. The two ports are still controlled by Houthis.
"The siege is killing us from every direction as prices for just about everything have risen in a crazy way,?Mohammed Ibrahim, an airport employee told Reuters by phone from Hodaida, 443 kilometres from Aden on the coast road.
An official at Hodaida port confirmed that vessel traffic had dropped significantly due to inspections.
"Also the destruction by the alliance of cranes used to lift goods has also led to a decrease in the ship numbers,?he added.
A humanitarian aid and food report compiled this week by the US Navy, seen by Reuters, also showed over 20 ships stuck. The paralysed ports and damage to flour mills threatened to create more shortages, it said.
"This shortfall could leave up to 14 million people without staple wheat/bread products,?said the report.
An international commodities trade source familiar with Yemen: "The inspections regime is holding up many ships and there is no clear explanation for all of this given many of the cargoes originate in Europe, the United States and Australia.¡¨
"Cargo operations anywhere in the country are not functioning on even the most basic level given fuel shortages, power cuts and also the disruptions caused by the inspections, which have become even more unpredictable,?the source added.
The United Nations said last week that it will set up an inspection regime to increase the flow of commercial goods into Yemen. The new inspection regime, which the Saudi-led coalition has accepted, is awaiting funding.
PORTS
14 September 2015 - 20:19
Saudi naval cargo inspections slow food flow into besieged Port of Aden
SHIPPING to Yemen is slowing as Saudi-led navy inspections hold up cargoes, depriving the country of desperately needed fuel and food as aid groups warn of famine.
PORTS
14 September 2015 - 20:19
Saudi naval cargo inspections slow food flow into besieged Port of Aden
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