UKMTO Warns of Commercial Vessels Being Detained at Houthi-Controlled Ras Isa Port

Multiple commercial vessels anchored at Yemen’s Ras Isa port are being forcibly detained by Houthi forces despite having proper UN clearance, according to a UKMTO warning issued May 1, 2025.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reports that vessels with valid UNVIM (UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen) clearance are being denied permission to depart. Local authorities have demanded vessels move from anchorage to berths, with reports of warning shots being fired and armed personnel boarding vessels.

Martin Kelly, Head of Advisory at EOS Risk Group, confirms these incidents have affected multiple clients in recent weeks, with Houthi fast attack craft actively patrolling the anchorage area.

“There are several motivations behind these actions,” Kelly explains. “The Houthis are using commercial shipping as a deterrent against US, UK and Israeli airstrikes. Additionally, they view ships departing their ports as a demonstration of their inability to defend port infrastructure.”

The warning extends beyond Ras Isa, with Kelly emphasizing that “the risk to seafarers at all Houthi held ports (Ras Isa, Hodeidah & Saleef) remains high.”

On April 18, a U.S. strike on Ras Isa fuel port killed at least 80 people in one of the deadliest attacks on the country by U.S. forces to date. The Trump Administration has struck more than 800 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 region.

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