Siege on Hodeidah Port Is Not Lifted as Saudi Allegations Claim: Vice President of Red Sea Ports
YemenExtra
M.A.
Vice-President of Red Sea Ports, Yahya Sharafuddin, denied on Monday allegations of the Saudi-led coalition affiliated with lifting the siege on the vital port of Hodeidah.
The Deputy of Red Sea Ports Corporation said in a statement to the Arabic-speaking Yemeni channel “Almasirah” that the forces of coalition continue to prevent the arrival of containers and oil derivatives from accessing the ports of Ras Issa and Hodeidah.
He explained that nothing arrived during the past two months except for only one tanker loaded with oil derivatives, noting that the coalition blocks the full entry of oil tankers to the port of Ras Issa since the previous June.
He added that the Saudi-led coalition imposed a complete ban on the entry of container ships to the port of Hodeidah, noting that the containers that are transported to the port are shipped from the port of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, he pointed out that the US-backed coalition hijacked the tanker Androsa, loaded with 41 thousand tons of diesel and unloading its cargo at the port of Yanbu in Saudi Arabia.
Moreover, he pointed out that the allegations of the coalition affiliated with mitigating the siege is nothing more than a “media bubble” in order to ease the pressure on the countries of the Saudi-led coalition as they face international criticism due to the humanitarian situation caused in Yemen.
Yemen has been suffering with the spread of epidemics and the suspension of hospitals from functioning, in addition to water, sewage and sanitation.
The official also pointed out that the coalition completely isolates Yemen from the world, noting that even the bridge cranes, which were agreed upon to arrive a year ago with the World Food Program has not arrived so far.
On the other hand, he also mentioned that the dock workers in the port, nearly 3000 workers, have become jobless and cannot afford for their families’ living due to the lack of ships entering the port.