**Executive Summary**
Merchant Shipping Notice Number 12 of 2022, dated December 2, 2022, advises vessels transiting or navigating in or around Yemen waters due to the ongoing conflict and the expiration of the UN-brokered truce in October 2022. It recommends precautions for Indian flag vessels and vessels with Indian crew to ensure safety.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Security Situation:**
* The Yemeni conflict continues, impacting maritime security in coastal areas off Yemen and the Southern Red Sea.
* The expiration of the UN-brokered truce has increased risks to merchant vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden due to potential attacks with missiles, rockets, projectiles, mines, and small arms.
* Some Yemeni ports and terminals are closed, while others are operational with specific requirements.
* **Recommendations:**
* Indian flag vessels are advised to avoid Yemeni ports and waters.
* RPS Agencies are requested to advise vessel owners to avoid transiting such waters with vessels having Indian crew members on board.
* Indian flag vessels and vessels with Indian crew transiting such areas should maintain maximum safe distance and exercise extreme caution.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Shipowners**
* **Impact:** Required to be aware of the risks in Yemeni waters and potentially reroute vessels or take additional safety precautions.
* **Action Required:** Inform vessels of the advisory and recommend routes avoiding Yemeni waters.
**RPS Agencies**
* **Impact:** Responsible for informing vessel owners about the risks to vessels.
* **Action Required:** Advise vessel owners to avoid Yemeni waters, especially for vessels with Indian crew.
**INSA (Indian National Shipowners' Association)**
* **Impact:** Must disseminate the advisory to its members, who are Indian shipowners.
* **Action Required:** Inform members of the advisory and recommend routes avoiding Yemeni waters.
**ICCSA (Indian Chamber of Commerce and Shipping Agencies)**
* **Impact:** Should disseminate the advisory to its members.
* **Action Required:** Inform members of the advisory and recommend routes avoiding Yemeni waters.
Key Entities Referenced
Merchant Shipping Notice Number 12 of 2022: Advisory for vessel(s) transiting or navigating in/around Yemen waters
Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai: Issuer of the advisory
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: Parent ministry of the Directorate General of Shipping
Yemen: Location of the waters subject to the advisory
RPS Agencies: Recruitment and Placement Services agencies advised to inform vessel owners to avoid Yemeni waters if possible.
7r,,
olhrII-{}sr
.tqa q-d]-€q
fiIIdSFF'R/ GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
1' .., ; tr [B i.- n sq,.- t i$.'.-' o*r, qY6 ql5a-5a 3ih- sarfi?i t'fli{q
MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
at+rar6ft&naq. iT*
D rR ECTo RAT E G Ii NE RA L o r s uTppl r,,l c. *r ul.rRl I
F. No. 25-63011/16t2022-NT-DGS
Date:02.12.2022
MERCHANT SHIPPING NOTICE NUMBER T2 OF 2022
Advisorv for vessel(s) transiting or navigating in/around yemen waters
The Yemeni conflict is an ongoing multi-sided civil war that began in late 2014 when
Houthis took over the govemment. Many intemational interventions have tried to ensue peace
in the country but have failed due to the complexity of the conflict. The lIN-brokered nation-
wide truce in Yemen, which was in effect since Apr 2022, has expired in Oct 2022.
2.
The expiry ofthe llN-brokered truce resulted in posing a risk to merchant vessels in the
Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb strait, and culf of Aden. The risks include, but are not limited to,
missiles, rockets, projectiles, mines, and small arms and pose a direct or collateral risk to the
merchant vessels transiting in the area thereof. While some of the Yemen ports and terminals are
closed and some are operational, with specific and special requirements being enforced at the
time.
3.
Given the current situation in Yemen, the overall security situation in the country is
fragile. While the conflict is primarily land based, maritime security in certain coastal areas off
Yemen and in the Southem Red Sea has been affected by the conflict and direct or collateral
damage to merchant vessels operating in the region cannot be ruled out.
4.
In view of the above, it is recommended that the Indian flag vessels, shall avoid yemeni
ports and its waters. Further, all RPS Agencies are advised to request the vessel owner(s) to
avoid vessels with Indian crew on board, to transit such waters and areas.
5.
In addition, all Indian flag vessels, and vessel with lndian crew members on board, which
are transiting off such areas and waters thereof, are to do so with maximum possible safe
distance, and with extreme caution, keeping the safety ofpersonnel and vessel as paramount.
This is issued with approval of the Director General of Shipping and Additional Secretary to
the Government of India.
Yours faithflrlly,
1^,/'
0
(Capt. Vi ingh
Nautical Surveyor cum DDG [Tech]
To (through DGS website):
1. Indian Shipowners
2.
RPS Agencies
3.
INSA
4.
ICCSA
gfr xG-d, fi.I , $rf R-+ H lh'xr, flEr ni{ rtJ, x-.5 - 4000,(2
gs Floor, BETA Bulldlng, l-Think Tochno Campus, KanJur Vlllage Roa Kanjurmarg (E), Mumbal-400042
$tanet.i 9l-22-2s1s2o4o tztl, t-ff/t.e\ : 9t-22-2s7520296s t$fr/E-mait deshh,-dssrarnic.in tifqlfa/We6site: www,dsshiooing.gov.in