Yemen's Houthis considering fees for ships sailing through Red Sea, sources say

Lead

Houthi authorities in Yemen have denied planning to impose fees on commercial ships transiting the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, saying the waterway remains free of charge. In a statement on Saturday, the Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC) called its "safe transit service" voluntary and cost-free and urged shipping companies not to make payments to unauthorized parties.

The denial pushes back on earlier reports that the Iran-aligned group was considering charging ships through the southern Red Sea. The dispute comes a week after the Houthis declared a maritime blockade on Saudi Arabia, raising concerns about one of the world's most vital oil and trade routes.

Coverage comparison

Coverage of the story took different angles across the outlets reporting on it. Al Jazeera emphasized the denial issued by the HOCC, placing it in the context of Bab el-Mandeb as a crucial link between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Al Jazerra also reported that the denial statement followed a Reuters news agency report, citing regional sources, that the Houthis were considering fees, and that the idea was raised with Iranian officials during a Houthi visit to Tehran.

The Jerusalem Post focused on the initial report of the Houthis considering fees, with regional sources describing the move as a means to intensify pressure on the United States and normalize the practice of imposing costs on international waterways. The Post also carried the widening of the situation, noting that the Houthis had declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and that Chinese ships would reportedly be exempt from any future fees. Later, the Jerusalem Post also reported the HOCC's denial, emphasizing the contradiction between the reported consideration and the public statement.

South China Morning Post took a different angle by highlighting the apparent practicality of the situation. It said the Houthi militia appears to be allowing some ships through Bab al-Mandab despite the blockade, citing the case of the Chinese oil tanker Xin Long Yang from Cosco Shipping, which was granted permission to pass. The Post noted that, according to the trade publication Lloyd's List, Chinese tankers returning from Saudi ports might be able to negotiate passage on a case-by-case basis, suggesting a more selective enforcement.

Key Claims

• The Houthi-run Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center denied planning to impose fees, describing its 'safe transit service' as voluntary and free of charge (Al Jazeera, Jerusalem Post).

• The HOCC urged shipping companies not to make payments or share information with unauthorized entities and said that anyone demanding payment did not represent Yemen or the HOCC in any capacity (Al Jazeera, Jerusalem Post).

• The Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia around July 20, against the backdrop of the US-Israel war on Iran (Al Jazeera, Jerusalem Post).

• The Houthis were considering imposing fees on commercial ships through Bab el-Mandeb, according to regional sources, with no timeline given (Jerusalem Post).

• Iran advisers reportedly helped the Houth plan on fees, raised during a Houthi visit to Tehran in July (Jerusalem Post, also mentioned in Al Jazeera).

• Chinese ships would be exempt from any such fees, according to the same sources (Jerusalem Post).

• A Chinese oil tanker (Cosco Shipping's VLCC Xin Long Yang) was granted permission to pass through the waterway despite the blockade, reported the South China Morning Post, citing Lloyd's List.

• The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a vital chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, used by ships carrying oil and other cargo between Asia, Europe, and the Middle East (Al Jazeera).

Perspectives

The Houthi position, channeled immediately through the HOCC, is that the strait remains open and free to all mariners. The body said it 'categorically confirms that any individual or entity requesting the payment of money in exchange for transiting the Bab al-Mandeb straight does not represent the Republic of Yemen or HOCC in any capacity whatsoever,' according to Al Jazeera and the Jerusalem Post.

A contrasting perspective comes from Yemen’s foreign-affairs spokesman, Afrah Al-Zouba, foreign minister-designate, who told Al Jazeera earlier in the week that the Houthis are seeking to 'copy the Iranian model.' This statement reflects the official Yemeni government's suspicion that the Houthis are replicating the Islamic Republic’s practice of charging transit fees along the Strait of Hormuz, thereby raising the stakes for shipping globally.

While these two viewpoints—formal denial and official accusation—are in conflict, they underscore the contested and volatile nature of Bab el-Mandeb's status. The international community continues to monitor whether the the Houthis choose to assert further economic leverage over international trade, or whether the denial holds and the strait remains unobstructed.