LONDON/DUBAI, July 29 - Yemen's Houthi group is thinking about charging fees for commercial ships passing through the southern Red Sea. This comes a week after they announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, according to regional sources who spoke with Reuters.
On July 20, the Houthi group declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia. This move opens up a new front in the conflict involving the U.S. and its allies as tensions with Iran rise, and it also expands their attacks on oil tankers and other supply ships beyond the Gulf.
The Houthis are looking into imposing fees on most vessels using the narrow Bab el-Mandeb gateway that connects the southern Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. However, no specific timeline for when this might happen has been provided.
The Houthis’ media office has not yet responded to requests for comments on this matter.
In July, Houthi officials traveled to Iran for the funeral of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. During their visit, Iranian officials discussed the possibility of charging fees for vessels passing through Bab el-Mandeb, as reported by two regional officials in contact with Tehran.
Sources indicate that the aim of such fees would be to establish a precedent for charging on international waterways and to add pressure on the United States. Additionally, it was noted that Chinese ships would be exempt from these fees, and the Houthis are in favor of this arrangement.
China has had direct talks with the Houthis to allow their tankers to pass through the southern Red Sea without fear of attack. China is the largest buyer of oil from Saudi Arabia.
IRANIAN ADVISERS GUIDE FEE PLAN
Houthi officials returning from Tehran were accompanied by Iranian advisors to help them establish a potential authority to manage fees in Bab el-Mandeb. Afrah al-Zouba, Yemen's foreign minister-designate, indicated that the Houthis aim to control access to the Red Sea and impose charges on ships.
This initiative is likely to face strong opposition from Gulf and European nations. However, current international naval forces are stretched thin and unable to adequately protect merchant shipping, and there seems to be little will to change this, according to two Western diplomats.
Tehran has rejected Oman's proposal for joint management of the Strait of Hormuz, which would have included voluntary fees for ships. A senior Iranian official confirmed this, thwarting hopes for a resolution to a situation that has severely impacted Gulf trade.
SAUDI ARABIA FACES SUPPLY THREAT
If the Bab el-Mandeb is closed, Saudi Arabia would lose a critical alternative route to the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns about oil supply shortages.
Traffic in the Red Sea has not fully recovered since Houthi attacks began off Yemen's coast in November 2023. This was part of the Houthis' solidarity efforts with Palestinians in the Gaza conflict, with attacks on merchant ships ceasing only after the Gaza ceasefire last October.
Recently, at least one Saudi tanker was attacked near the southern port of Jizan, close to Yemen, with the Houthis claiming responsibility.
Previously, the Houthis were alleged to have charged fees to certain shipping agencies passing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden during their peak maritime campaign in 2024, as detailed in a 2024 U.N. report, though this information could not be independently confirmed.
These fees were estimated to reach $180 million monthly, although these figures remain unverified.
Traveling through Bab el-Mandeb to Asia typically takes about 16 days, while rerouting through the northern Red Sea and Suez Canal can extend this to 50 days through southern Africa.
(Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Parisa Hafezi, Timour Azhari, and Mohammed Ghobari)