Fuel Imports to Houthi-Controlled Areas Increase by 500%

The United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM) said Friday that fuel imports to Houthi-controlled ports increased by 500 percent during October.

The UN data came to contradict false reports published by militia leaders who claim that fuel prices are increasing in their controlled areas because the Arab coalition to support legitimacy is holding fuel ships.

In its monthly operational analysis, UNVIM also said food discharged in October 2022 increased by 13 percent compared to the 2021 monthly average.

This comes as Houthis continue to reject extending the UN-sponsored truce for the second month in a row.

“There was a 500 percent increase in fuel discharged in October 2022 (267,359 t) compared to the 2021 monthly average (44,589 t) and a 94 percent increase compared to the monthly average since May 2016 (137,754 t),” UNVIM said in its analysis.

Further, the UN office said that during the past month, and even though the truce was not extended, there was a 13 percent increase in food discharged compared to the 2021 monthly average and a 19 percent increase compared to the monthly average since May 2016.

It said 350,000 tons of food were discharged in October 2022 compared to 310,000 tons in October 2021.

The figures confirm the false Houthi reports about the siege enforced on the Hodeidah ports under their control.

UNVIM, which is managed and operated by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and is located in Djibouti, said that also in October, nine fuel vessels were permitted from the Coalition holding area (CHA) to anchorage, 10 berthed, and nine discharged their cargo and sailed during the reporting month.

The operational analysis also showed that in October 2022, food vessels spent an average of 2.4 days in the Coalition holding area (CHA), 1.7 days in anchorage, and 6.2 days at berth.

This compares to an average of 2.8 days in the CHA, 1.4 days in anchorage, and 8.9 days at berth in October 2021.

“Food vessels, therefore, spent 14 percent less time in the CHA, 21 percent more time in anchorage, and 30 percent less time at berth, compared to October 2021,” UNVIM noted.

The report said that a total of 3,050 containers of food, medical supplies, and equipment, including tools related to COVID-19, were shipped to Hodeidah ports.