A fuel tank burns following, what Al Masirah TV said, was a U.S. strike on the Ras Isa fuel port, Yemen, in this screengrab from a handout video released on April 18, 2025. Al-Masirah TV /Handout via REUTERS
Seafarers at Yemen’s Ras Isa Port face escalating safety concerns amid reports of vessels being forcibly detained and armed confrontations, according to maritime authorities.
“I am deeply concerned by the situation of seafarers in Ras Isa Port in Yemen. The IMO is working closely with stakeholders to assess the situation and ensure seafarer safety,” said Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the UN’s International Maritime Organization.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that vessels anchored at Ras Isa have been denied permission to leave despite having UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM) clearance. Local authorities have reportedly issued threats of violence, with incidents including warning shots and armed personnel boarding vessels.
UKMTO warns of ongoing threats from collateral damage to third-party vessels, particularly those within 1000 meters of shoreline and port facilities. The organization advises extreme caution near ports that have experienced strikes, urging vessels to carefully evaluate the risks of continued operations in these areas.
The crisis unfolds as President Donald Trump announced the cessation of U.S. military operations against Houthi forces in Yemen, following an apparent ceasefire agreement brokered by Oman. The agreement specifically addresses U.S.-Houthi relations in the Red Sea, though its implications for Israel-Houthi conflicts and ramifications for restoring freedom of navigation in the Red Sea region remain unclear.
The Red Sea route, which handles approximately 15% of global shipping traffic, has been significantly impacted by the Houthi blockade, forcing major shipping services to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope.
On April 18, a U.S. strike on Ras Isa fueling infrastructure killed at least 80 people in one of the deadliest attacks on the country by U.S. forces to date. The Trump Administration has reportedly struck more than 1,000 targets in Yemen since resuming military strikes on March 15, 2025, following the collapse of the Gaza ceasefire deal, as part of an effort to restore freedom of navigation in the Red Sea.
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