A container ship carrying general commercial goods docked at Yemen's main port of Hodeidah for the first time since at least 2016 on Saturday as parties in Yemen's eight-year war are in talks to reinstate an expired UN-brokered truce deal.
The conflict, launched by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia against the Ansarallah or Houthi movement, has caused a humanitarian crisis that has left 80% of the 30 million population needing help. Goods arriving at Hodeidah have to be vetted by a UN body established to prevent arms shipments from entering Yemen. In the past seven years, Djibouti-based UNVIM has given approval only to ships carrying specific goods like foodstuffs, fuel and cooking oil.
According to Reuters, granting access to commercial ships was a trust-building step aimed at supporting Saudi-Houthi talks to reinstate the truce, which expired in October.
Port officials said the SHEBELLE, which according to ship tracking data is an Ethiopian-flagged general cargo ship, was given clearance by United Nations inspection body, the Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen (UNVIM).
"The mechanism previously only provided clearance for specific shipments but now UNVIM is granting clearances for all kinds of shipments to Hodeidah port," said Muhammad Abu-Bakr bin Ishaq, head of Houthi-run Red Sea Ports Corporation.
He did not say what cargo the ship was carrying.
He said increased flow of goods into the western port would reduce transportation costs for products.
The military alliance launched an air campaign against Yemen in March 2015 after the Houthis ousted a Saudi-backed government from the capital, Sana’a.
Direct talks between Saudi Arabia and Ansarallah, facilitated by Oman, are parallel to UN-led efforts to restore the truce, which has largely held, establish a formal ceasefire and launch inclusive political negotiations.
The Saudi-led war has killed tens of thousands of people, destroyed Yemen's economy and left millions hungry. The Houthis say they are fighting a corrupt system and foreign aggression.