Sanctioned Tanker Fires on Yemen Coast Guard After Houthi Port Call
Yemeni authorities detain 35,994-dwt NEREIDA for unloading cargo at Ras Isa without approval and opening fire on patrol.
Yemeni authorities have seized a Comoros-flagged tanker in the Gulf of Aden following an armed confrontation with the Coast Guard after the vessel unloaded cargo at a Houthi-controlled port without government authorization.
The NEREIDA, a 35,994-dwt chemical and products tanker built in 1998, was intercepted as it departed Ras Isa port in Al-Hudaydah governorate. According to the Yemeni Coast Guard, the vessel ignored repeated orders to stop before armed guards on board opened fire on a patrol boat. The tanker was later escorted to Aden for inspection. No injuries were reported during the incident.
The Coast Guard stated the 175-meter-long vessel had disabled its Automatic Identification System (AIS) during portions of its voyage. The signal briefly reappeared south of Hodeidah after leaving Ras Isa before authorities intercepted the ship in the Gulf of Aden.
Confrontation at sea: yemeni coast guard
Yemeni officials confirmed the tanker unloaded its cargo at Ras Isa without government approval and bypassed required UN verification procedures. The United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM), established in 2015 at Yemen‘s request, monitors vessels bound for ports outside government control to ensure compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2216. While UNVIM currently clears ships for Hodeidah and Saleef ports, Ras Isa remains excluded from the program.
Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the vessel’s voyage, cargo, documentation, and its unauthorized entry into Ras Isa. The probe will also examine the AIS shutdown, the refusal to stop, and the shooting incident. The Houthi group, which controls Ras Isa, has not commented on the detention.
Las conclusiones de la investigación serán presentadas al Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU en un plazo de 30 días, según lo establecido en el cronograma oficial. El informe preliminar se entregará a las partes involucradas el próximo 15 de octubre, mientras que la UNVIM ha convocado una reunión extraordinaria para el 22 de octubre con el fin de evaluar posibles ajustes en sus protocolos de verificación.
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