272 vessels reached yemen ports; us embassy refutes houthis blockade claims, highlights siege in taiz
Embassy challenges blockade account
The US Embassy in Yemen has rejected Houthi claims that a Saudi-led blockade is restricting access to the country. The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have said Saudi Arabia and its allies imposed a full-scale siege on Yemen’s Red Sea ports, preventing aid from reaching civilians.
The group captured Sanaa in September 2014 and later took large areas of western and northern Yemen. In September this year, it captured the port city of Mocha during an offensive on coastal areas.
UN figures show port traffic
The embassy’s position aligns with operational analyses from the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen, which monitors and facilitates commercial shipping to the region. UN data records 272 vessels sailing to the ports during the period discussed.
Traffic reached 34 vessels in both January and March. Even in a slower month, July, 25 vessels made the journey.
Food and other goods delivered
The vessels carried millions of tonnes of essential cargo, mainly food. More than 737,000 tonnes of food were discharged in March, the highest monthly amount reported, while January deliveries approached 630,000 tonnes.
Container shipments included 1,231 containers unloaded by four vessels in January, 851 by three vessels in March and 1,268 by three vessels in April. Fuel deliveries varied: February saw more than 149,000 tonnes, while September had no fuel deliveries but continued to receive large volumes of food and other goods.
Key points
- UN data cited by the embassy records 272 vessels reaching Yemen’s Red Sea ports.
- March had the highest reported food deliveries, at more than 737,000 tonnes.
- The embassy accused the Houthis of blocking supplies to hospitals and water stations in Taiz.