British report: Iranian tankers continue to smuggle shipments to Hodeidah ports

Arab Sea Newspaper - Special

Arabian Sea - Agencies: A report issued by the British publication Lloyd's List revealed that Iranian tankers subject to US sanctions are still smuggling shipments, including gas, to the ports of Hodeidah, which are under the control of the Houthi militia, most notably the port of Ras Issa. The report explained that these ships belong to what is known as the "shadow fleet," which relies on concealing sailing locations or using camouflaged navigation data to avoid international oversight. It pointed out that this fleet included about 112 ships as of August, including 30 tankers subject to direct sanctions from the United States, which are active towards the ports of Hodeidah. Lloyd's cited two examples of ships on the sanctions lists, namely "Vina" and "Kref," which changed their routes and frequented the Yemeni ports controlled by the Houthis, using secret routes to circumvent the sanctions. In the same context, the European Union announced that its military operation "Aspides" in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which began in February 2024, has so far provided protection to about 1,050 commercial vessels. The operation's command confirmed that its forces continue to perform their tasks to ensure freedom of navigation and enhance maritime security in one of the most important and most fragile trade routes, with full commitment to international law.